On Aug. 27, Secaucus officials joined the ranks of a growing number of cities and towns in New Jersey banning plastic shopping bags.
At least two dozen New Jersey municipalities have taken part in the initiative to reduce the amount of street litter and mitigate the environmental harm that plastic bags pose. Paramus, one of the biggest retail hubs in North Jersey, banned single-use plastic bags one week before Secaucus did.
The average plastic bag is used for just minutes. Estimates suggest that only one percent of all plastic shopping bags are recycled properly.
Single-use plastic bags reportedly take 1,000 years to decompose in landfills. Shopping bags litter streets, cause major clogs in sewer systems, which can lead to flooding, and can harm wildlife.
Parting ways with plastic
The ban on single-use plastic bags doesn’t go into effect until Feb. 1, so there will be several months for retailers and customers to prepare.
The ordinance was drafted on the recommendation of the Secaucus Environmental Department. Its purpose is to “promote the use of reusable carryout bags in order to reduce litter, to reduce harm to humans, wildlife, and the environment, to protect our parks and coastal waterways, and to protect the health, safety and welfare of the general public.”
Secaucus Mayor Michael Gonnelli said that the ordinance was modeled after citywide bans in the area, with stipulations that suit Secaucus. Gonnelli said that during town cleanups, plastic bags are the biggest culprit. The recycling department has to process them separately from other recyclables, which requires an extra degree of oversight.
Amanda Nesheiwat, the town’s environmental director, will work over the coming months on outreach campaigns for residents and business owners. The Secaucus Environmental Department will provide reusable bags to as many residents as possible, and will informing local businesses on the change.
Officials opted to allow retailers to provide 100 percent recyclable paper bags made of at least 40 percent post-consumer recycled content. Retailers must charge customers ten cents for each paper bag. Customers who use their own reusable bags can’t be charged for doing so.
Plastic bags that prevent food from cross-contaminating or contain pet waste, garbage, laundry, and prescription medications are exempt from the ban.
Jersey City held a “Bagapalooza” during which residents exchanged old shopping bags for reusable alternatives at a gathering on Grove Street.
Hoboken’s ban went into effect some months earlier, after it was first announced in June 2018.
In other towns, plastic bag bans have been well-received by residents, because the inconvenience is negligible. Reusable bags are just effective as as their plastic counterparts.
While bans are limited to cities, state legislators are considering clamping down on single-use plastic bags and other disposable products that cause environmental hazards.
No statewide regulations on single-use plastic items have passed yet, but Gov, Phil Murphy has repeatedly pointed to California regulations as a model. Bill S2776, which is still pending Senate approval, may be one of the strictest state regulations banning single-use plastic bags, plastic straws, and polystyrene containers in the country.
For updates on this and more stories check hudsonreporter.com or follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Mike Montemarano can be reached at mikem@hudsonreporter.com.
