New Jersey § 13:1e-99

§ 13:1e-99.

The Legislature finds and declares that, since 1950, global annual production of

plastics has increased from two million tons to over 381 million tons; that approximately

one third of all plastics produced are single-use plastics, which are plastics designed

to be used only once and then thrown away; and that an estimated 100 billion single-use

plastic carryout bags and 25 billion styrofoam plastic coffee cups are thrown away

in the United States each year. The Legislature further finds that, in 2017, only 8.4 percent of plastics in the United

States were recycled; that most single-use plastics are disposed of in landfills,

are incinerated, or become litter in waterways and oceans; that plastics released

in the environment do not biodegrade, but instead break down into smaller pieces,

known as microplastics, which accumulate in the natural environment and are eaten

by fish and other marine life; and that microplastic pollution moves through natural

food webs and accumulates in fish and shellfish tissues, which means microplastics

and associated pollutants can move into the food chain. The Legislature further finds that approximately eight million tons of plastic end

up in the oceans annually; that, without action, scientists estimate that by 2050

the mass of plastic pollution in the ocean will exceed the mass of fish; that currently,

there is a collection of litter in the North Pacific Ocean, known as the Great Pacific

Garbage Patch, that is 7.7 million square miles and is composed primarily of plastics;

that one study found plastics in the gut of every sea turtle examined and in 90 percent

of seabirds examined; and that plastics have been known to cause death or reproductive

failure in sea turtles, birds, and other organisms that ingest plastic. The Legislature further finds that, as plastics break down through photodegradation,

they release harmful chemicals such as bisphenol A (BPA) into the environment that

have been linked to health problems in humans; that these chemicals enter the food

chain when consumed by marine life; and that single-use plastic waste creates visual

pollution, degrades water quality, and impacts the tourism, fishing, and shipping

industries, all of which are major contributors to the New Jersey economy. The Legislature therefore determines that it is no longer conscionable to permit the

unfettered use and disposal of single-use plastics in the State; that New Jersey

must do its part to minimize plastic pollution in the ocean, and to ensure that future

generations have a clean and healthy environment to live, work, and recreate in;

that banning or limiting the use of single-use plastic carryout bags, polystyrene

foam food service products, and single-use plastic straws is a significant step in

this effort, as these items are among the most significant sources of beach and ocean

pollution; that New Jersey joins several other states and hundreds of municipalities

across the country in banning or limiting the use of single-use plastics; and that

such bans and limitations have drastically lowered consumer consumption of single-use

plastics. The Legislature further finds that single-use paper carryout bags use as much or more

energy and resources to manufacture and transport than single-use plastic carryout

bags and contribute to harmful air emissions. Consequently, the Legislature further determines that it is in the public interest

to prohibit grocery stores from providing single-use paper carryout bags. The Legislature further finds that the State's nascent hemp-growing industry, regulated

through the New Jersey Department of Agriculture's Division of Plant Industry, would

be a significant force in creating biodegradable raw materials that can be turned

into hemp-based bio-packaging, which breaks down in approximately 90 days versus the

dozens of years it takes petroleum-based plastics to break down into microplastics

in the ocean.