The War On Plastic Has Come To New Jersey

If you think your plastic straws are safe in New Jersey, think again.

There is a Bill in Trenton S2776 introduced June 25/A4330 introduced July 30 that “Prohibits use of plastic carryout bags, expanded polystyrene, and single-use plastic straws.”

Nothing is safe in this state, not plastic bags, Styrofoam containers or straws!

Don’t think this can’t happen. The Sierra Club is already pushing this! In fact, on August 6 the group issued a statement in which Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, states, “We will not reduce our plastic waste with a fee which is why New Jersey needs a statewide ban.”

Senate Bill S2776 is indeed a statewide ban. The “statement” portion of the bill is clear:

   This bill would prohibit stores and food service businesses from providing plastic carryout bags to their customers.  The bill would also prohibit any person from selling or offering for sale in the State any expanded polystyrene (commonly referred to as "Styrofoam") food service product and prohibit any food service business from selling or providing any food in an expanded polystyrene food service product.  Further, the bill would prohibit any food service business from selling or providing single-use plastic straws to customers.  The prohibitions in the bill would take effect one year after the date of enactment of the bill into law.

     A person who violates any provision of the bill would be subject to a penalty of up to $5,000 for each offense, and each day during which the violation continues would constitute a separate offense.

The Assembly version is identical.

The war on plastics is coming to New Jersey in full force. Senators Bob Smith and Linda Greenstein as primary sponsors of S2776 and Assemblywoman Nancy Pinkin, Assemblymen James Kennedy and John McKeon as primary sponsors of A4330 are leading the charge.

Apparently, based on their nearly 1,100 word anti-plastics statement of August 6 legislators have enlisted the New Jersey Sierra Club as their army.

In that statement, the Sierra Club points out, “There will be a Senate and Assembly joint Committee meeting on plastics, including plastic bags, straws, and Styrofoam on August 23rd.” As of this morning we couldn’t find anything about this meeting on the State Legislature’s website, clicking August 23 on the calendar says, “No scheduled proceedings today.” We’ll keep watching because it’s time to stop the nonsense.

If the radicals in this state are successful in banning plastic bags, straws and Styrofoam what’s next? “Zip lock” baggies? The plastic bags I buy to pickup after my dog? Trash bags? The list goes on.

Maybe it’s time to call the sponsors of this ridiculous bill and remind them the remote control they use to tune to MSNBC is made of plastic as is the bottle they’re drinking their water from while being brainwashed watching the personalities on that channel.