Plastic and paper bags are banned in NJ grocery stores starting next month

@NJChicaa (119649)
United States
April 4, 2022 2:57pm CST
Governor Murphy signed a law back in 2020 that goes into effect on May 4th. Businesses cannot use single-use plastic bags, styrofoam containers, plastic straws, or paper bags. There are some exceptions to the rule like newspapers will still come in plastic bags, plastic bags for produce/meat/seafood, plastic bags for live animals (fish or crickets) in pet stores, etc. People will have to bring their own reusable bags, buy reusable bags at the store, or not use a bag at all. I'm still confused on the straw thing. These days restaurants/bars/coffee shops are not supposed to give out plastic straws unless a customer requests one. Many places still do, though, or just put them out on the counter for people to walk over and take. I've been using Instacart for my groceries and I am very curious as to how shoppers will deal with the bag thing next month. If they have to use reusable bags will they have to come into my apartment to unpack everything so they can keep their bags? I'm thinking that the customer will be charged for the purchase of however many reusable bags will be necessary to carry everything so the shoppers can just drop the bags and go like they currently do with the plastic ones. That would mean that I'd wind up with an insanely huge collection of reusable bags. I understand encouraging the use of reusable bags to eliminate plastic waste but I am not really on board with this new law. I am totally in favor of taking measures to help protect the environment and combat climate change. I recycle. I reuse the plastic bags from stores when I clean out the cats' litter box. When I had a yard I grew vegetables and herbs organically and composted organic waste. I have a collection of metal straws that I use here at the apartment. I just am not ready to give up plastic/paper bags in stores like grocery stores, Target, Walmart, etc. I'm sure I'll get used to it eventually. I remember when NJ required us to recycle glass jars/bottles, aluminum cans, newspapers, and cardboard back in 1987 and everyone was freaked out about that. Now it is just a normal part of life. I guess this will seem normal too.
https://www.nj.com/business/2022/04/produce-bags-not-part-of-njs-plastic-bag-ban-but-consider-these-alternatives.html
8 people like this
7 responses
@kaylachan (69864)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
4 Apr 22
If it gets to it, you could always go back to in-person shopping and control what bags you have. George and I have a small collection of reusable bags, that we use for cold and hot or dry foods. So, I'm not really bothered by it.
1 person likes this
@NJChicaa (119649)
• United States
4 Apr 22
Yes of course. I can certainly do my shopping myself. It is just more convenient to have someone else haul everything up here to the 3rd floor.
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (69864)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
4 Apr 22
@NJChicaa Ah, yes. My husband had a few years of that. He used to look for top floor apartments.... until I came along. After I did, he found himself thankful he didn't have to make multible trips up and down the stairs. He's happier now that we have a garage.
1 person likes this
@NJChicaa (119649)
• United States
4 Apr 22
@kaylachan I lived in a 1 floor ranch for 15 years and had a husband to haul in all of the bags while I unpacked them.
2 people like this
@marlina (154131)
• Canada
4 Apr 22
But why the paper bags? They are good for compost.
1 person likes this
@NJChicaa (119649)
• United States
4 Apr 22
I think it is because it takes more energy/resources to produce them
@youless (112496)
• Guangzhou, China
5 Apr 22
Here the supermarkets have a rule and it will charge the plastic bags for several years already. This is why many people have a habit to bring their own bags to shopping. At first it may be a little inconvenient but that's OK. At least it is still good to do something good for the enviroment.
@much2say (55663)
• Los Angeles, California
4 Apr 22
I just haven't been getting bags to carry all the groceries . . . I've been sticking things back into the cart after purchasing and then shoving it all in car trunk . When I park the car at home, I can unpack closeby, but not everyone is in this situation. I have reusable bags but I mostly don't seem to need them anymore. They still have a lot of problem solving to do with all that.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (178871)
• United States
5 Apr 22
We reuse our plastic and paper bags and would miss them greatly if we couldn't get them anymore.
@Scrapper88 (5983)
• United States
4 Apr 22
I have heard about other states doing this about the bags. I have a feeling that other states will do the same thing.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (106426)
• Marion, Ohio
5 Apr 22
It will be interesting how they will handle the shopping.