Legislation Passes Committee 7-4; Bill Will Make NJ the East Coast Leader & Reduce Virgin Plastic Use

By Eric Benson, Clean Water Action

Today, the New Jersey Assembly Appropriation Committee voted to approve the Recycled Content bill (S2515/A4676) by a 7-4 vote. The legislation would require increasing post-consumer recycled content in a variety of packaging products including plastic containers, plastic beverage containers, plastic bags, plastic trash bags, glass containers, and paper bags. Environmental advocates say the bill will go a long way in strengthening the market for recyclables and reducing reliance on new fossil-fuel-derived plastics.

Today’s committee vote comes after extensive hearings and many hours of testimony in both the Senate, where the bill has already passed, and the Assembly, making today’s hearing the seventh hearing for the legislation.

Bill advocates across the state applaud the committee’s vote to advance A4676 and continue to urge Assembly Speaker Coughlin to post the bill on the agenda for an Assembly floor vote this coming Monday, January 10 – the last day of the legislative session – and thank the leadership of the Senate prime sponsor, Senate Environment Chair Bob Smith (D-17). 

Environmental organizations supporting the bill include Clean Water Action, Clean Ocean Action, Environment New Jersey, NJ Sierra Club, Surfrider Foundation, Save Barnegat Bay, and Beyond Plastics.

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