By Frank Brill, EnviroPolitics Editor
S2776, a bill that would prohibit New Jersey grocery stores from using single-use plastic bags and, eventually, paper bags and styrofoam containers as well, was released Thursday by the state senate budget committee in Trenton. A floor vote is expected on December 12.
An Assembly version of the legislation, A4330, will be heard in the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste committee on Monday.
Under the proposed bill, single-use, plastic carryout bags would be prohibited within one year. Paper bags and polystyrene foam cups and containers would also be banned in two years.
The bill was amended prior to release. Unlike previous versions, it no longer bans plastic straws, which would still be available upon requests at restaurants, a point that advocates for people with disabilities have pushed.
Eight states have banned plastic bags, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Maine and Maryland have also passed bills banning Styrofoam. Hawaii has a de facto ban on paper bags with less than 40% recycled material, according to the conference.
Opponents included plastics manufacturers, business and industry groups as well as some supermarkets.
Dennis Hart, the executive director of the Chemistry Council of New Jersey, which represents plastics manufacturers, said doing away with Styrofoam would cost millions of dollars for school districts. He criticized the bill for leaving wax-coated paper cups with plastic lids common at cafes untouched, while prohibiting polystyrene — commonly known as Styrofoam.
“It’s just substituting one piece of litter for another,” he said.
Last year, Gov. Phil Murphy vetoed a bill that imposed a fee on single-use plastics, agreeing with environmentalists who argued that such an approach would be inadequate in fighting the proliferation of plastics.
We have reports from CBS 17 above and NJTV News below
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