New Jersey's Bag Ban Backfires, According to New Survey

A recent study has revealed that New Jersey's bag ban, aimed at reducing plastic consumption, has actually led to an increase in plastic usage.

The ban has left New Jersey residents with piles of unused, "reusable" plastic bags.

"We understand the heightened skepticism behind branded 'eco-friendly' and 'biodegradable' products as greenwashing is so pertinent in today's market," commented Mark Nathan, CEO, and co-founder of PlasTechFree.

The study discovered that, after the bag ban in New Jersey, the shift from plastic film to alternative bags almost tripled plastic consumption in the state. Additionally,the state saw six times more woven and non-woven polypropylene plastic consumption.

Most of these polypropylene bags are not recyclable in the U.S., consume over 15 times more plastic (specifically for non-woven bags) and contribute to a 500 percent increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

Gene Benfatti, president, and co-founder of PlasTechFree, said, "Our hope is that consumers will become more educated about products that truly are 100% plastic-free and select those that solve this increasingly complex and dangerous problem."

The company’s product line includes multi-use and reusable bags, kitchen compost bin bags, pet waste bags, and diaper disposal bags plus other bags for various industries such as the cannabis and garment industries.

Source: PlasTechFree