This is a statement issued on behalf of American Forest & Paper Association’s Abigail Sztein, Director of Government Affairs:

“NJ Senate Bill 864 and Assembly Bill 1978 seek to ban paper bags, making New Jersey the first and only state in the nation to ban paper bags. The American Forest & Paper Association opposes bans on paper products.

Consumers need a safe packaging option to protect their essential purchases from damage and contamination. Paper bags are a clean, hygienic and convenient choice to meet those needs while also being recyclable, reusable and compostable.

The forest products industry in the Garden State supports more 13,000 individuals at 156 facilities. Banning paper bags in the state would send an alarming message about family wage jobs, which are often union labor, in addition to indirect jobs supported by the industry. Furthermore, paper bags are locally produced, sustainable and the only grocery bag that New Jersey consumers can recycle at home in their curbside bin.

Paper, by weight, is the most-recycled material from municipal solid waste streams in the United States today. Banning paper bags as part of this legislation is a solution in search of a problem.”