Legislation was recently introduced by Senator Christopher J. Connors, Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf and Assemblyman Daniel M. Van Pelt that would require fast food packaging be made from recyclable or compostable materials by the year 2012. The 9th District Delegation’s legislation would apply to any fast food provider in the state with a drive-up window.
“Over the past several months, our Delegation has been contacted, with greater frequency, by constituents with deepening concerns over the amount of litter in their communities which is making its way into local waterways, ” said Assemblyman Van Pelt, a member of the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee. “The general consensus is that a significant portion of this debris is generated by recklessly discarded fast food packaging. Requiring these particular products, including the container and utensils be made of compostable or biodegradable materials would not only reduce the adverse environmental impact but also help eliminate a source of debris in landfills. Our state should be embracing ‘green’ technology which many experts believe to be an integral aspect of our country’s economic future by incorporating it into government policy when serving the public’s best interest.”
Penalties that would be established under the 9th District Lawmaker’s legislation for businesses that do not comply would consist of a fine of no less than $500 but no more than $1,000 for each offense. If the violation is of a continuing nature, each day during which it continues constitutes an additional separate and distinct offense.
“Some of the most environmentally sensitive areas in the state are located in our Legislative District, including the Barnegat Bay, ” said Assemblyman Rumpf. “Phasing out this source of waste would be greatly beneficial to the protection of marine wildlife and the preservation of their habitat. Another key element of our legislation would require fast food restaurants to provide on-premise appropriate receptacles for the compostable packaging to be disposed of properly. We would hope that affected businesses will embrace this measure as their contribution, at nominal cost, will keep the community we share cleaner.”
Senator Connors went on to say, “We believe our legislation proposes a long-term solution to this specific concern that affects the health of our waterways while, at the same time, aims to significantly reduce a common source of litter found in communities. Over the years, we have learned that a considerable number of our constituents can be described as environmentally-minded. Not surprisingly, these individuals would like to see this type of pollution and its impact on the environment addressed by becoming part of the state’s environmental agenda.”
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December 1, 2008
