Plastic Bags Banned in N.J. as Murphy Signs New Law

The ban is officially in the bag.

Gov. Phil Murphy on Wednesday signed a new law banning businesses from handing out single-use plastic bags, polystyrene food containers, plastic straws and paper bags in New Jersey. The measure, which was passed by state lawmakers in September, is seen as the strictest stance against single-use plastics in the nation.

“Plastic bags are one of the most problematic forms of garbage, leading to millions of discarded bags that stream annually into our landfills, rivers, and oceans,” Murphy said in statement. “With today’s historic bill signing, we are addressing the problem of plastic pollution head-on with solutions that will help mitigate climate change and strengthen our environment for future generations.”

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