News Release

Red Bank, NJ, Rejects "Petty" Plastic Bag Ban

Artistic Borough Near Jersey Shore Backs Local Businesses

ARLINGTON, VA (November 14, 2008) – Following a growing trend across the country, the Borough of Red Bank, NJ, on Monday rebuffed a bid to ban plastic bags.

Local residents and business people objected to the ban at Monday’s Council meeting, calling it “petty” and “un-neighborly.”¹  All Democrat and Republican Council members failed to second the proposal after it was offered by the Council’s lone supporter.

Well known as a high end shopping destination and artistic community, Red Bank’s decision may influence other towns eyeing similar actions.  Scores of proposals to tax or to ban plastic bags have been defeated or abandoned throughout the country.  In October the town of Plymouth, MA, rejected a ban proposal, and Spokane, WA, recently turned down a tax on plastic bags.  Many communities instead are expanding their recycling programs to include plastic bags and product wraps.

“Plastic is too valuable to waste – it should be recycled” said Shari Jackson, director of the Progressive Bag Affiliates of the American Chemistry Council.  “Today’s plastic bags can be tomorrow’s durable decking, fencing, railings, shopping carts or new bags, so please join us to help keep these innovative products out of the trash.”  

“We’re seeing a much greater inclination across the country to recycle plastic bags than to restrict their use,” said Jackson.  “Communities across the country are recognizing that plastic bags fit into efforts to ‘reduce, reuse and recycle.’”  Jackson also said that plastic bags reduce waste compared to paper bags, are reused by more than 90 percent of people and are being recycled across the country. 

Although the recycling of plastic bags and wraps grew 24 percent in 2006, there still are opportunities to do even better, Jackson said.  She encourages shoppers to look for the recycling bin in front of grocery stores or near the checkout counters and bring back clean plastic grocery bags, retail bags, dry cleaning bags, and wraps from bread, paper towels, and bathroom tissue – even the plastic bags used to deliver newspapers.

About the Progressive Bag Affiliates
The Progressive Bag Affiliates of the American Chemistry Council promote the responsible use and recycling of plastic bags. The PBA recycling toolkit is being used by retailers around the nation as a reference for determining the best ways to deploy effective recycling solutions in stores.  For more information, please visit www.plasticbagrecycling.org

¹ Red Bank Green, November 10, 2008