Ban on Plastic Bags and Polystyrene Foam Food Service Products

How does this law impact my business?

New Jersey retail stores, grocery stores and food service businesses may not provide or sell single-use plastic carryout bags and polystyrene foam food service products. Single-use paper carryout bags are allowed to be provided or sold, except by grocery stores equal to or larger than 2,500 square feet, which may only provide or sell reusable carryout bags. Plastic straws may be provided only upon the request of the customer. Find out if you are impacted by this ban.

Watch the video in Spanish by clicking here.

Affected businesses must use reusable carryout bags that:

Are made of polypropylene fabric, PET non-woven fabric, nylon, cloth, hemp product, or other washable fabric, and
Have stitched handles (either thread or ultrasonic, T-Shirt bags are permitted), and
Are designed and manufactured for at least 125 reuses.

Affected businesses must also use food service items that are not made of polystyrene, more commonly known as styrofoam.

The state has provided a database of vendors who can provide alternative products.

Learn more about the ban through the State FAQs or read the law.

View and download the Business Resource Guide for more information (English / Spanish)

Polystyrene, more commonly known as styrofoam, is no longer permitted for food service use in New Jersey.

If you are interested in choosing the most environmentally friendly option for your business, please use the hierarchy below to help you make a purchasing choice.

‍Tier 1: The best alternatives

The best alternatives to styrofoam products are products that never enter the waste stream.

Durable, reusable products that can be washed and later provided to many other customers
Food service products that are consumed by the customer, such as bread bowls

Tier 2: Compostable materials

Compostable materials are made of organic compounds that decompose naturally into soil, usually within 90 days of disposal. The Biodegradable Products Institute maintains a directory of certified compostable products that includes food service items.

Ideally, these materials should be disposed separately from other refuse and composted. Businesses may be able to donate compost at community gardens or similar organizations.

Tier 3: Paper products

Paper products have a lower environmental impact than polystyrene and other plastics. Like compostable products, they will decompose in the environment, though not as quickly as products that are specifically designed to be compostable.

Clean paper products can be recycled with other paper. Paper products heavily contaminated with food, such as grease-stained pizza boxes, can not be recycled. This is also true for wax or plastic coated paper products.

Tiers 4 and 5: Recyclable products

Products that use recycled content in their production and can be recycled are another alternative to polystyrene/styrofoam products.

Using products that include recycled content helps the recycling industry and keeps used material out of landfills. Recyclable products are widely accepted by New Jersey recyclers if they are free of food waste or other contaminants.

Tier 6: Marginally recyclable materials

Marginally recyclable materials refers to products that may be marked as recyclable, but they are not widely accepted for recycling in New Jersey and will likely end up in landfills after use. Examples include aluminum products, which may include recycled content, but are not recyclable after contamination with food waste.

Tier 7: Least preferred

The least environmentally friendly products contain no recycled content and are difficult to recycle after use. These products have large environmental impacts due to the extraction of raw materials, transportation from manufacturer to consumer, and high likelihood of disposal in landfills. They typically comprise raw materials that must be drilled, refined, and manufactured from non-renewable petroleum resources and will persist in the environment if not responsibly managed at the end of their useful life.

Examples may include black or dark colored plastics, which are permitted in the State but are difficult to sort at recycling facilities. These plastics commonly end up in landfills.

Find Vendors Offering Suitable Alternatives

As a courtesy, the State has compiled a list of vendors who provide environmentally sound alternatives to single-use plastic carryout bags, single-use paper carryout bags, polystyrene foam food service products, and single-use plastic straws.

View List of Vendors

Wholesale Manufacturer and Distributor Sign-up

If you are a business that manufactures or distributes sustainable products that meet the NJ State standards, sign up to have your company added to the list wholesale vendors.

Sign up

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