Gov. Murphy signed into law the Plastic Pollution Reduction Act.
That means New Jersey now has the strongest anti-plastics law in the NATION! Thank the Governor for fighting the plastic pollution crisis. 
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Plastic pollution in the news

• How much does Amazon and E-commerce contribute to plastic pollution?
  
• Big Oil’s flagship plastic waste project sinks on the Ganges
  
• Survey finds consumers show ‘strong preference’ for paper packaging over plastic
• Plastic bag ban set to become law in NJ
• ​Say 'so long' to plastic bags. NJ ban now law
• ​NJ governor signs bill to ban single-use plastic, paper bags
• ​New Jersey's plastic bag ban raises the reusables bar
• ​​Gov. Murphy signs bill banning single-use paper and plastic bags
• ​Plastic bags banned in N.J. as Murphy signs new law
• ​US generates more plastic trash than any other nation, report finds
• ​NJ bill would ban most single-use plastic, paper bags in the state
• US generates more plastic trash than any other nation, report finds​​​NJ's plastic bag ban: What's exempt, when it begins and more big questions answered
• 'An Unacceptable Plastic Future': Ecologists Sound Alarm in New Study of Global Waterways
• NJ Assembly passes nation's toughest ban on plastic and paper bags!
• It’s time to get rid of plastic bags for good
• ​Upcycled T-Shirt Project Paves Way for Girl Scout Silver Award​

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​Update on Plastic Pollution Reduction During Covid-19

 It has come to our attention that your mayor may have received a letter from Linda Doherty, President and CEO of the New Jersey Food Council regarding single-use plastic bag ordinances. That letter is filled with misleading and baseless claims and should be read with great skepticism.
 
The Food Council's letter is an awful example of fear mongering in a time where there are far too many unknowns. If your municipality is concerned about supply-chain issues for plastic and paper bags, we recommend encouraging your residents to bring reusable bags. At this time, there is no evidence stating that a single-use bag is safer than a reusable bag. To claim that one type of bag is safer than another is irresponsible and lacks scientific backing.  For more information on how this virus stays on plastics and other surfaces, click here to review a recent scientific study from the New England Journal of Medicine.
 
We encourage everyone to follow the CDC guidelines and best practices for protecting yourself from COVID-19 found here , including hand washing and social distancing. We also encourage folks concerned about grocery shopping and coronavirus to wash their reusable bags as you would any other washable household item.
 
There is no rational reason anyone should think using a clean reusable bag from home is less safe than a single-use plastic one from the store. With clean reusable bags there is a clear chain of custody; individuals carry, pack, and clean their own bags, whereas an untold number of people handle the bundles of single use bags. After consulting with physicians, it is also our understanding that a reusable bag poses no additional risk to a cashier who is handling thousands of store items touched by thousands of individuals as well as cash and credit cards.
 
Climate change and plastic pollution are ongoing crises, and they are connected. However, you can help while maintaining public health and safety. Together, we can continue to fight the scourge of single-use plastic responsibly. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to info@anjec.org .
Sincerely,

Jennifer M. Coffey ,Executive Director
ANJEC, (Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions)

Tools and resources
Stopping Trash Where It Starts: A Trash Reduction Toolkit for NY-NJ Communities
Sponsored by: New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission 

Videos

• Lonely Whale: A Plastic Service Announcement - The HOW YOU HYDRATE campaign is empowering consumers to choose and champion sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic water bottles.
• The Story of Microfibers - Synthetic fabrics, from which 60% of all clothing is made, release tiny plastic bits -- called microfibers -- when they are washed. They flow through water treatment plants, and out into our rivers, lakes and oceans by the billions.​​