Why is NJ bag banned?

Starting last May, New Jersey's single-use bag ban — considered likely the strictest in the nation — has made it illegal for stores, restaurants and other businesses to hand out plastic bags as part of a larger statewide sustainability goal of reducing waste.



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Paper bags generate 70 more air pollutants than plastic. They generate 50 times more water pollutants than plastic. It takes 91 percent less energy to recycle a plastic bag than it does a paper bag. Paper bags are very thick, so shipping them costs more fuel per bag.

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Every year, around 500 billion plastic grocery bags are used worldwide. And an estimated 10 million tons of plastic are discarded in the ocean yearly. To help combat this waste, several American states have enacted bans on plastic grocery bags.

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The decision, she says, will make waves in reducing the carbon footprint. “The impact from a carbon footprint is greater for paper bags than it was for plastic bags. They're heavier and they take more carbon to produce, ship, transport and also throw away,” said Sood.

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