N.J. plastic bag ban: Garbage, produce, pet waste bags still OK when new law starts
Updated: Mar. 31, 2022, 11:08 a.m. |
Stop & Shop in Union. Beginning May 4, 2022, grocery stores, food service businesses and other retail stores in New Jersey are prohibited from providing or selling customers with single-use plastic carryout bags.Tuesday, March 29, 2022. Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media
New Jersey’s upcoming single-use plastic bag ban has been billed as “the strictest in the nation,” going further than similar laws in California and New York. But the law still has plenty of exceptions, allowing for New Jersey residents to keep using most types of single-use plastics.
The law that will take effect on May 4 applies to single-use plastic shopping bags — the bags that you’ll find at the end of grocery store registers, or what your shopping mall purchase gets stuck in before it’s handed over.
And that’s about it.
What the ban doesn’t cover is single-use plastic bags that you buy. So garbage bags, pet waste bags, and Ziploc-style bags are all still allowed in New Jersey.
And unlike in other states, stores will not have the option of charging a nominal fee to still provide you with a plastic bag. No single-use plastic bags can be used at store registers, free or paid.
The paper bag ban, another part of New Jersey’s bag-ban law that’s unique, has its share of exceptions too. Paper bags are not allowed to be sold or given out in grocery stores larger than 2,500 square feet. That average grocery store is over 30,000 square feet, so the size restriction means even the smallest Trader Joe’s will be banned from doling out brown paper bags.
Stop & Shop in Union. Beginning May 4, 2022, grocery stores, food service businesses and other retail stores in New Jersey are prohibited from providing or selling customers with single-use plastic carryout bags.Tuesday, March 29, 2022. Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media
And retail stores can also keep using paper, so stores like PetSmart and Michael’s can pivot to paper bags if they want, but Stop and Shop can’t.
What about the other types of single-use bags you might encounter while running errands, like a dry cleaner bag or a produce bag? Those are also exempt.
Here is a full list of exemptions, as written by the Department of Environmental Protection:
- a bag used solely to contain or wrap uncooked meat, fish, or poultry.
- a bag used solely to package loose items such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, coffee, grains, baked goods, candy, greeting cards, flowers, bulk food, or small hardware items.
- a bag used solely to contain live animals, such as fish or insects sold in a pet store.
- a bag used solely to contain food sliced or prepared to order, including soup or hot food.
- a laundry, dry cleaning, or garment bag.
- a bag provided by a pharmacy to carry prescription drugs.
- a bag for newspapers.
- any similar bag, as determined by the Department pursuant to rule, regulation, or guidance.
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Katie Kausch may be reached at