New Jersey Bans Plastic and Paper Bags
The bag is officially banned in New Jersey. Plastic and paper bags that is! On Wednesday Governor Phil Murphy signed a new law that prohibits businesses from giving customers single use plastic bags along with polystyrene food containers, plastic straws, and paper bags.
According to NJ.com, the ban will apply to restaurants, convenience stores, movie theatres, and grocery stores with the goal to end plastic pollution. The rule will be put into effect starting May 2022. Restaurants will also not be allowed to hand out plastic straws unless the customer specifically asks them starting in November 2021.
If the rules are broken, first time offenders will owe $1,000 in fines and $5,000 for every offense after that. All money received will go towards the Clean Communities Program Fund, which funds liters clean-up through out the Garden State.