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17 Dec: Smith’s ‘Carryout Bag Reduction And Recycling Act’ Approved In Senate Environment And Energy Committee

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senate Environment and Energy Chairman Bob Smith that would encourage New Jersey residents to bring their own reusable shopping bags when going to the grocery store or buying food items was approved today by the Committee.

“The use of plastic and paper bags are putting a huge strain on the environment,” said Senator Smith, D-Middlesex. “Each year, Americans use approximately 100 billion plastic shopping bags, annually putting eight billion pounds of plastic bag trash into the waste stream. Additionally, 14 million trees are cut down each year to support America’s consumption of paper bags. Something must change. We can no longer sustain this level of waste and must take responsibility for filling our waterways and oceans with bags that are killing wildlife and contaminating the ecosystem.”