Bill Text: NJ A5352 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Revises minimum percentage of postconsumer recycled content in certain plastic trash bags.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-06-30 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee [A5352 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-A5352-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman CLINTON CALABRESE
District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Revises minimum percentage of postconsumer recycled content in certain plastic trash bags.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the use of postconsumer recycled content in plastic trash bags and amending P.L.2021, c.391.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 8 of P.L.2021, c.391 (13:1E-99.142) is amended to read as follows:
8. a. All plastic trash bags sold or offered for sale in the State by a manufacturer shall:
(1) beginning two years after the effective date of [this act] P.L.2021, c.391 (C.13:1E-99.135 et seq.), contain the following proportion of postconsumer recycled content:
(a) for plastic trash bags greater than 0.70 mils thick but less than 0.80 mils thick, at least five percent;
(b) for plastic trash bags greater than 0.80 mils thick but less than 1.00 mils thick, at least 10 percent; and
(c) for plastic trash bags equal to or greater than 1.00 mils thick, at least 20 percent; and
(2) beginning five years after the effective date of [this act] P.L.2021, c.391 (C.13:1E-99.135 et seq.), contain the following proportion of postconsumer recycled content:
(a) for plastic trash bags greater than 0.70 mils thick but less than 0.80 mils thick, at least 10 percent;
(b) for plastic trash bags greater than 0.80 mils thick but less than 1.00 mils thick, at least 20 percent; and
(c) for plastic trash bags equal to or greater than 1.00 mils thick, at least [40] 20 percent.
b. The provisions of subsection a. of this section shall not apply to a bag that is designed and manufactured to hold, store, or transport hazardous waste or regulated medical waste. For the purposes of this subsection, "hazardous waste" means any solid waste defined as hazardous waste by the department pursuant to P.L.1970, c.39 (C.13:1E-1 et seq.); and "regulated medical waste" means the same as that term is defined in section 3 of P.L.1989, c.34 (C.13:1E-48.3).
(cf: P.L.2021, c.391, s.8)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill reduces the minimum amount of postconsumer recycled content that certain plastic trash bags are required to contain. Under current law, beginning five years after the effective date of P.L.2021, c.391, plastic trash bags equal to or greater than 1.00 mils thick are required to contain at least 40 percent postconsumer recycled content. This bill revises the recycled-content requirement for plastic trash bags that are 1.00 mil thick or more to 20 percent postconsumer recycled content.
