New Jersey's Plastic Bag Ban Increases Plastic Consumption

Despite a decrease in bag volumes, the shift to alternative bags has led to a surge in plastic use and greenhouse gas emissions, studies show.

New Jersey's ban on single-use plastic bags has led to a threefold increase in plastic consumption due to the production of alternative bags, according to a study by Freedonia Custom Research.
The study also found that the shift from plastic film to alternative bags resulted in a 500% increase in greenhouse gas emissions compared to non-woven polypropylene bag production in 2015.
Despite the increase in plastic consumption, the total volume of bags used in New Jersey declined by more than 60% after the ban.
Another study found that plastic bag bans in the U.S. have been largely successful, reducing use by nearly 300 bags per person per year.
However, critics argue that alternatives like paper or cotton bags could be worse for the environment as they require more energy to produce.