Prior to the law change, New Jersey used 4.4 billion plastic bags annually, contributing to the severity of the plastic problem. “Single-use plastic straws are one of the most publicly recognized ocean pollutants, causing massive numbers of sea turtle deaths.

Single-use plastic is a global problem, but in the United States, most states have not yet taken the steps that New Jersey has taken to reduce our wasteful and harmful consumption.

What Is The Law In NJ?

It takes a little getting used to, but we are here to help. Here is some information that will help you will find helpful while on vacation in New Jersey.

• New Jersey retail stores, grocery stores, and food service businesses may not provide or sell single-use plastic carryout bags and polystyrene foam food service products.
• Single-use paper carryout bags are allowed to be provided or sold, except by grocery stores equal to or larger than 2500 square feet, which may only provide or sell reusable carryout bags.
• Plastic straws may be provided only upon the request of the customer.
• Summary of the NJ Law

How We Can Help

• If you don't already have a nice collection of reusable shopping bags or forgot to pack them on vacation, we have you covered! We have assembled a nice collection of reusable bags at Dreams Come True Cottage for your use. They are located in a basket on top of the washer/dryer in the kitchen pantry.
• We suggest that upon arrival, you place this "bag of bags" on the front door handle so that you will remember to grab them as you leave the cottage (we haven't yet found a great way to remember to take them from your car, into the store, however, lol).
• When you return from your shopping trip and have unbagged all your purchases, place that bag of bags back on the doorknob.
• Upon check-out, please return the "bag of bags" to the top of the washer/dryer for our next guests' use.

Remember Why

Harm To Wildlife

The total amount of plastic entering the marine environment is over 12m tonnes a year  – according to a report by Eunomia in 2016. For comparison, a double-decker bus weighs about 12 tonnes.

Sea creatures can get tangled in plastic or mistake it for food, and the effects are often fatal. Harmful chemicals linked to plastic have been found in species from plankton to dolphins.Transitioning to more earth-friendly lifestyle choices is an adjustment. It is annoying to find yourself at the checkout lane with a cart full of purchases and realize you have no bags, We have to retrain our habits and that can be frustrating at times.

Contributes to Global Warming

Plastic sticks around in the environment for ages, threatening wildlife and spreading toxins. Plastic also contributes to global warming.

Almost all plastics are made from chemicals that come from the production of planet-warming fuels (gas, oil and even coal).

Harm To The Food Chain

Scientists have detected tiny plastics (smaller than 5mm) in salt, beer , seafood  and human stools.

These microplastics break off bigger plastic items or come from products like car tyres and cosmetics. They even wash off synthetic clothes.

Once they enter our rivers, soils, and oceans, they can get into the food chain. As of yet, the impacts on our health are unknown.

Learn More Here: https://friendsoftheearth.uk/plastics#:~:text=How%20does%20plastic%20harm%20the,%2C%20oil%20and%20even%20coal).

Safe travels - while we try to save the planet!

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If you're ready for your next getaway, visit Clover's Cottage of Hegins, PA or Dreams Come True Cottage of Cape May Beach, NJ.

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