A 5352

ASSEMBLY, No. 5352
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED JUNE 30, 2026
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.