Plastic bags banned in New Jersey

The New Jersey Legislature on Thursday passed a sweeping bill that would make the state the first in the country to ban single-use paper bags at supermarkets.

The bill, which would also prohibit single-use plastic bags and limit the use of polystyrene takeout boxes and in some cases plastic straws, now heads to Gov. Phil Murphy.

The governor's office could not immediately be reached for comment Friday. But his spokesman, Mahen Gunaratna, told The New York Times that Murphy supports the legislation.

"The governor is proud to support the strongest bag ban in the nation,” the spokesman said. “This bill will significantly reduce the harm that these products cause to our environment.”

Environmentalists in the state praised the legislation as an important measure to help curb pollution from plastic, paper, and polystyrene.

“New Jersey Assembly voted to pass the strongest single-use ban on plastics in the country to prioritize our wildlife and our communities over endless plastic waste polluting our waterways,” Doug O’Malley, the director of Environment New Jersey, said in a statement.

The New Jersey Legislature on Thursday passed a sweeping bill that would make the state the first in the country to ban single-use paper bags at supermarkets.

The bill, which would also prohibit single-use plastic bags and limit the use of polystyrene takeout boxes and in some cases plastic straws, now heads to Gov. Phil Murphy.

The governor's office could not immediately be reached for comment Friday. But his spokesman, Mahen Gunaratna, told The New York Times that Murphy supports the legislation.

"The governor is proud to support the strongest bag ban in the nation,” the spokesman said. “This bill will significantly reduce the harm that these products cause to our environment.”

Environmentalists in the state praised the legislation as an important measure to help curb pollution from plastic, paper, and polystyrene.

“New Jersey Assembly voted to pass the strongest single-use ban on plastics in the country to prioritize our wildlife and our communities over endless plastic waste polluting our waterways,” Doug O’Malley, the director of Environment New Jersey, said in a statement.