A law banning all kinds of single-use bags in New Jersey is under scrutiny as unwanted reusable bags pile up all over the state.
One of the co-sponsors of the bill to ban single-use bags, Senator Bob Smith of Middlesex, says he’s thinking of introducing an amendment to try and fix the problem.
Smith told NJ.com that he believes one solution could be to allow grocery delivery services – which often automatically send grocery items in reusable bags – to use paper bags or cardboard boxes for online orders, which many believe is the main driver of the unwanted reusable bags pile-up.
“While curbside and delivery services have expanded significantly between passage and implementation of the law, the Department [of Environmental Protection] intends to work with stakeholders and through the Plastics Advisory Council to find innovative ways that would promote the reusability of these bags,” said DEP spokesman Larry Hajna.
