(RepublicanNews.org) – Research showed that after New Jersey’s stringent restriction on single-use plastic bags for shopping was put into effect, the state’s plastic use increased by around three times.
According to a study by Freedonia Custom Research, New Jersey’s strict 2022 single-use plastic bag ban led to a nearly 3x increase in plastic consumption.
The ban, which is the strictest in the nation, aimed to reduce the amount of plastic one-use bags in landfills. The shift from plastic film to alternative bags has been a significant environmental concern. Democrat Gov. Phil Murphy claimed that millions of discarded bags are thrown into landfills, rivers, and oceans annually.
Reports show that in May 2022, a ban was imposed on single-use plastic bags in retail, grocery, and food service stores. Instead, customers can opt for reusable bags made of woven and non-woven polypropylene plastic or bring their own. However, local media reported that reusable bags accumulated in homes due to repeated purchases or home grocery delivery services using new ones.
Requiring that home delivery firms use cardboard containers or paper bags rather than plastic is one of the changes that have been dormant since some politicians in the Garden State saw that consumers were discarding reusable bags.
According to the report, the prohibition of plastic bags has negatively impacted the environment. New Jerseyans now use almost four times as much plastic—151 million pounds, compared to 53 million pounds previously.
Compared to the usual single-use plastic bags sold at supermarkets and convenience shops, the research discovered that reusable bags manufactured from non-woven polypropylene require around fifteen times as much plastic due to their thicker construction. Even though these bags are designed to be reused, the average New Jerseyan only uses them a few times before throwing them away.
Researchers discovered that consumers would need to reuse the bags at least sixteen times before they could benefit the environment.
Since the prohibition, reusable bags have resulted in a windfall for businesses. A typical store could earn $200,000 per year.
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