New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy vetoed a bill Thursday imposing a 5-cent fee on plastic bags, which environmental groups say could be a step toward a total ban on all major plastic items such as straws and bags in the Garden State.
The Democratic governor rejected the bill establishing a fee on single-use carryout bags used in certain stores. The fee revenue would have gone to support a program to remove lead from schools.
The group Sierra Club said the veto signals that Murphy is open to move a much more stringent bill that the environmental group prefers, which creates a full ban on plastic bags, single-use straws, and polystyrene.
“Plastic bag fees don’t work as well as a ban, they become a hidden tax on the environment,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “It is important that Governor Murphy vetoed this bill because now we can start fresh on a comprehensive statewide ban.”
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California, along with major cities, like Boston and Chicago, have all banned plastic bags. Seattle, Miami Beach, and St. Petersburg have banned plastic straws, Tittel pointed out. He added that many towns in New Jersey have passed individual ordinances to ban plastic bags.
“Towns are banning plastic because they know how bad they are to our health and the environment’s health,” Tittel added.
State Democratic Sen. Bob Smith has a bill pending in the New Jersey legislature, S2776, that would ban single use plastic bags, plastic straws, and polystyrene.
The ban would target all food service providers, making anyone who violates the ban subject to a penalty of up to $5,000 for each offense, and each day during which the violation continues.
