Big Changes Coming for New Jersey and the Use of Plastic Bags . . . Who’s Next?

Date: 
September 5, 2018

A bill that would ban single-use plastic bags and impose a 5-cent per bag fee for all paper or plastic bags used in the state currently sits on New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s desk awaiting his signature.  Legislators in New Jersey have been fighting over details of plastic bag legislation for nearly a decade. Proponents say the fee increase is necessary to reduce a major source of pollution that endangers marine life and clogs landfills.

While Governor Murphy’s reasoning as to why he vetoed the proposed fees is uncertain—many believe he is looking to toughen the law—environmental groups and individuals view the veto as an opportunity to enact even stronger regulations, such as higher fees per bag (10 cents vs. 5 cents) or an outright ban on plastic bags (as has been done at the state level in California and at the county level in Hawaii).

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So while this state law may have experienced a temporary setback in New Jersey, the push to ban or charge for single-use plastic bags there continues. In the run-up to the 5-cent bag fee bill passing, many New Jersey communities (20 at last count), passed their own local regulations banning the use of plastic bags or imposing fees, joining other municipalities around the country. Some of these cities include . . .

  • Monmouth Beach, NJ
  • Long Beach, NJ
  • Jersey City, NJ
  • Hoboken, NJ
  • Longport, NJ

Additionally, bans and fees have been proposed or are waiting for enactment in Teaneck, NJ; Stafford, NJ; Belmar, NJ; and Atlantic County NJ.

Clearly, the writing is on the wall:

The single-use plastic bags New Jersey consumers have relied on for years to carry their groceries and other items home from the store will likely soon be gone or they’ll have to pay a fee to use them, forcing them and retailers to find environmentally-friendly alternatives.

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Solutions from Belvedere Exclusive

As the trend for bans and the imposition of fees for the use of plastic and paper bags grows nationwide, the push to encourage people to purchase and use reusable shopping bags has gained steam and while California retailers must charge at least 10-cents for ANY carryout bag, whether reusable or paper, New Jersey retailers can still give away reusable bags for free.

Affected Consumers and retailers can stay ahead of the curve by using reusable shopping bags such as those produced by Belvedere Exclusive.

Belvedere Exclusive is the premier source for environmentally-friendly reusable tote bags, insulated cooler bags, canvas tote bags, and other related products. All of our products are recycled, recyclable, or biodegradable/compostable.

Not only is this approach good for complying with current and anticipated future laws and being environmentally responsible, but reusable shopping bags imprinted with your company’s logo create brand ambassadors out of your customers, boosting impressions and building brand awareness.

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Belvedere’s VALUE Collection

Belvedere offers the lowest cost FOB USA non-woven shopping bags on the market: 100 gram PP non-woven, PP-5 recyclable, fully customized in six different sizes to fully meet your business needs. Our flexible program offers discounts over multiple ship dates, and bags are available in both screen printed and full color all for under $1.00 per bag! Learn More

Belvedere’s ECO Collection

Made from recycled products, these 100 gram Recycled PET non-woven, PETE-1 recyclable bags are fully customizable and come in three different sizes. They’re available in as low as 10 carton increments with three different printing methods depending on art. This is our premium product designed to help you make your eco-statement! Learn More

Get a Quote

We invite you to get a no-strings attached quote on Belvedere Exclusive bags, which are already in use with many high-profile brands around the country.


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