rock samples on table
EAES News

Will the plastic bag ban in N.J. help the environment? Here’s what experts say.

Dr. Pankaj Lal, Professor and Director, Clean Energy and Sustainability Analytics Center, speaks with Jackie Roman about the upcoming bag ban

Posted in: Faculty, In the Media

mounds of plastic bottles within plastic bags at Gaeta Recycling Co. Inc in Paterson
The Garden State’s legislation doesn’t address other pollutants, like plastic bottles, for example. Pictured here, mounds of plastic bottles within plastic bags at Gaeta Recycling Co. Inc in Paterson. Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media

Yes, it’s getting too late with each passing day, but if we just say no, it will not make a difference. So if we don’t do anything, that is much worse than doing something. I always argue that not taking an action is basically adding to the problem rather than being part of the solution. It’s not like we have to solve the full problem… but we have to believe that if we take incremental steps, we can make collective change

Dr. Lal told NJ Advance Media

So no, the plastic bag ban is not going to solve the issue of environmental pollution alone. But Lal said concerted efforts to address the problem, by governments and regular people, will go a long way toward improving things.

Read the full article on NJ.com