What You Need To Know About Hoboken's Plastic Bag Ban

HOBOKEN, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of the City of Hoboken. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site here.

The City of Hoboken’s ban on single use plastic bags begins on January 22, 2019. On that date, single use plastic carry-out bags will be banned at all retail and food establishments. The following bags are still allowed for free:

• Produce bags (fruits and vegetables)
• Product bags (packaging)
• Bags used to contain frozen foods, meat, fish, flowers, plants or baked goods
• Pharmacy prescription bags
• Newspaper bags
• Laundry or dry-cleaning bags
• Packages of multiple bags (food storage bags, garbage bags, pet waste bags)

Starting January 22, businesses must provide paper bags for a fee of 10-25 cents. The fee is collected and kept by the business to help cover the cost of purchasing the compliant bags. Residents are encouraged to bring their own reusable bags whenever possible.

The City will consider a request for a temporary exemption from the plastic bag ban under extraordinary circumstances. Businesses must fill out this form to be considered: https://seam.ly/t6kOgcxj.

In preparation of the ban, Mayor Ravi Bhalla and the Hoboken Green Team will hand out free reusable bags, obtained through a Clean Communities grant, at the following events:

• Rotary Club Meeting: January 15, noon at Brass Rail
• Columbian Arms Resident Meeting: January 17, 6:30 p.m. at Columbian Arms
• Hoboken Elks Winter Festival: January 19 at 4 p.m.
• Mutzfest: January 27, 2 to 6 p.m. at Hoboken Elks Lodge
• Hoboken State of the City Address: January 29, 6:30 p.m. at Stevens Institute of Technology
• Stevens Institute of Technology: January 30 at 3 p.m. at Pierce Dining Hall

Hudson County’s bike share program, JerseyBike, alongside Don’t Sit Home, is also hosting an event to distribute reusable bags to the community in Hoboken on January 15, 2019 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Union Hall Hoboken.

For more information on the new plastic bag regulations visit www.hobokennj.gov/plasticbags

Don’t forget to visit the Patch Hoboken Facebook page here. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

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