Paramus, the retail colossus of New Jersey, looks to ban plastic bags
Paramus has introduced an ordinance that would ban plastic bags and Styrofoam at retail stores, including the borough's four malls.
Paramus, the retail colossus of New Jersey, looks to ban plastic bags Paramus has introduced an ordinance that would ban plastic bags and Styrofoam at retail stores, including the borough's four malls. Check out this story on northjersey.com: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/paramus/2019/06/01/paramus-nj-one-nations-busiest-retail-destinations-aims-ban-plastic-bags/1197851001/
Stephanie Noda, North Jersey Record Published 6:18 a.m. ET June 1, 2019 | Updated 11:31 a.m. ET June 4, 2019
PARAMUS — You can shop till you drop, but you won't be getting any plastic bags to tote your merchandise, if a proposal to ban plastic bags is approved by the borough.
Single-use plastic bags and Styrofoam may be banned as soon as January in one of the nation's preeminent shopping hubs.
The Borough Council introduced the ordinance last week that will ban plastic bags and Styrofoam from every store and restaurant, including the borough's four major malls. The final draft of the ordinance will be tweaked with input from the Paramus Environmental Commission in the coming days.
Garden State Plaza at Christmastime. A ban on plastic bags in the borough could eliminate many thousands of single-use plastic bags. (Photo: Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com-USA Today Network)
As a major shopping destination, Paramus is a significant piece in the effort to broadly ban plastic bags, says Jennifer Coffey, executive director of the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions.
"This is something that is not only possible, but achievable now," said Coffey. "It's not something you have to wait to do in the future. It makes a huge difference in for our quality of life and ecosystem."
Approximately 4.5 billion plastic bags and other products are given to New Jersey shoppers each year. Seeing as the Garden State Plaza was the ninth most lucrative mall in the nation last year by CNBC, with $950 worth of sales per square feet, the impact of removing plastic bags from these retailers could be considerable. Paramus is home to hundreds of large retailers, including Target and Kohl's, REI and Bed Bath & Beyond.
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Paramus wouldn't be the first municipality with a large retail presence to ban plastic bags: Seattle, Chicago, and all of California have bans in place. Locally, Jersey City and Hoboken have enacted plastic bag bans. New York's ban goes into effect in March.
Adrian Yllatopa, a manager at Uniqlo at Paramus Park mall, said the ban was a "great thing," and noted the company as a whole plans to stop providing plastic bags and move to paper bags in a few months.
"There's huge commercial traffic that comes through this town," said Yllatopa. "So many people shop that it leaves a big carbon footprint. So it [the ban] could only lead to good things."
Some plastic bags would be exempt from the Paramus ban, including produce bags that hold bulk items like fruits and vegetables, and bags intended as food storage bags, garbage bags and pet waste bags.
Bags that hold frozen food; flowers, potted plant or other items where dampness may be an issue; pharmacy prescription bags; newspaper bags; door-hanger bags; and dry cleaning bags are also exempt. The policy describes a reusable bag as a washable bag with handles, at least 2.25 millimeters thick, that can carry a minimum of 22 pounds.
Shoppers will be encouraged to bring reusable bags with them as they shop..
While there was more resistance in years past to banning plastic bags, the public is becoming more accepting of the movement, said Tony Landa, chairman of the Paramus Environmental Commission.
"The tide has turned," said Landa. "We are seeing towns making it happen. We can do this."
Although the ordinance calls for a 10 cent fee for customers who wish to buy paper bags instead of bringing their own reusable bag, Mayor Richard LaBarbiera said this section was mistakenly put in and will be removed from the final draft of the ordinance. The document also details a ban of plastic utensils, another section that LaBarbiera said was a mistake.
"The intent is not to be punitive," said LaBarbiera. "The intent is to reduce waste. That's really what it's about: reducing plastic."
As Paramus goes ...
If Paramus wields its might against plastics, the state could take notice. A bill to ban plastic bags, straws and foam food containers has stayed in legislative limbo for seven months. Some municipalities, such as Teaneck, have been waiting for the state to act before putting limits into effect.
Not everyone approved of the move in Paramus. John Holub, president of the NJ Retail Merchants Association, said the organization was "absolutely not in support of a ban," calling it a "misguided policy." He said he wasn't surprised that the ban was coming from the same town that still had the "absurd" Blue Laws.
Holub said banning plastic bags in the borough would have a "very limited environmental benefit" and felt towns should wait until a statewide law is enacted.
"Policymakers seem to take the easy way out, which is driving the bans," said Holub.
The National Retail Federation declined to comment on the issue.
This week at Bergen Town Center, several shoppers said they liked the idea of a ban, although some noted that it could cause some "inconvenience."
Many national retailers have already made the switch to paper bags. (Photo: Viorel Florescu)
For Barry and Mary Francis Schwartz of Hillsdale, there weren't plastic bags or Styrofoam when they were growing up, so going back to paper is something they would be used to. Their children live in California, where plastic bags are banned statewide, and they've been "surviving."
"I heard it takes hundreds of years for plastic bags to degrade," said Mary Francis. "I would prefer to have paper, something that's biodegradable. I think we need to do something for future generations."
Victoria Lizottee of Saddle Brook, who has shopped and even worked in retail spaces in Paramus for most of her life, felt the ban was an "amazing idea," considering the borough's bustling retail space.
"I think it would make a positive impact on the environment, even when you think of this mall alone," said Lizotte. "Go for it, Paramus."
Staff Writer Isaiah McCall contributed to this article.
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