Welcome to Clean Water on the Move, your monthly update from Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund in New Jersey. Take a look at what our amazing staff has been up to and what is coming in the month ahead. Thanks for your ongoing support for our work towards a healthy environment for all.
Victory! Clean Water Action Secures Passage of Strongest Skip the Stuff Law in the Country.
Clean Water led a large coalition of activists that resulted in the passage of the strongest plastic reduction legislation in the Garden State since the 2022 plastic bag and polystyrene ban.
The new law, commonly called Skip the Stuff, goes into effect August 1, 2026. After a 180-day educational period, businesses will only provide single-use cutlery and condiments when customers request it. This applies to both to dine-in and take-out. Initial adoption of over 60 municipal Skip the Stuff policies (now pre-empted by stronger state law) helped encourage Governor Murphy to sign the bill.
Thank you to Clean Water Action members for speaking out during this campaign and helping us get the bill over the finish line! Please share this news to ensure the benefits of reduction are well understood and people know how to comply. Contact Clean Water Action’s Marta Young for assistance in spreading the word.
NJ ReThink Disposable Partners with Students & Largest NJ Soup Kitchen
Clean Water Action’s ReThink Disposable program has been busy making new connections in NJ. We are now partnering with the largest soup kitchen in the state, Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, to help them eliminate single-use disposable foodwares.
In addition, Marta Young has been working with several groups of high school and college students and their teachers to get them involved with various ReThink Disposable programs that educate and eliminate the use of plastic in food service. When students are passionate about something, people listen. You’ll be hearing from our new intern from Bloomfield College who just got the college’s dining service to convert to ReThink Disposable! Stay tuned!
Massive Wins at the NJ State House for PFAS!
Just days before now-former Governor Phil Murphy left office, he signed into law the Protecting Against Forever Chemicals Act (S1042/A1421) and a bill (S3946/A5195) protecting firefighters from PFAS. This comes after 2 years of hard work and ensuring the best language possible was adopted. This PFAS campaign was led by Environmental Advocate Molly Cleary, who worked with sponsors and community partners alike to ensure the passage of both bills.
Cleary was also invited to participate in now-Governor Mikie Sherrill’s Transition Advisory Task Force, where she gave insights to elevate policy issues for the incoming administration. Such issues included removing PFAS from products, reducing plastic waste, limiting warehouse and diesel pollution, and ensuring truly clean, green, energy.
With 12 new Assemblypeople in office and new Governor, Clean Water Action looks forward to making a difference this legislative session and continuing to make an impact on the health of New Jerseyans and the environment. Learn more about our priorities and expectations here.
Fighting for Better Freight and Goods Movement
Clean Water Action organized a community-oriented Port Tour (December 13, 2025) with stops at last-mile warehouses and shipping/cargo terminals in Port Elizabeth & Newark (NJ). The purpose of the tour was provide a better understanding of the impacts of moving goods across the state, from port to warehouse to delivery. Unfortunately, most goods are transported by dirty diesel trucks.
NJ needs a cleaner fleet to reduce harmful emissions, reduce long term health care costs for our communities and workers as quickly as possible. Clean Water Action is a lead advocate of NJ’s Indirect Source Review legislation (A2740/S2339) which would transition ports and warehouses towards zero emissions faster.
Take action now by sending a message to Governor Sherrill calling on her to adopt strong clear air policies that protect workers, community and environment; make NJ a leader in the electrification of trucks and establish a moratorium on warehouses.
Tea on Toxic Beauty Resources
Stay up to date on the best ways to assess which personal care products you might want to switch out for something safer. While products marketed to people of color are disproportionately more toxics than those marketed to whites, many of the resources below can be helpful no matter who you are.
Non-Toxic Black Beauty Product Database – Campaign for Safe Cosmetics
Red List: Chemicals of Concern – Campaign for Safe Cosmetics
Red List: Chemicals of Greater Concern to Black Women – Campaign for Safe Cosmetics
Environmental Working Group Skin Deep Database
Clearya: Nontoxic Shopping Made Easy
Yuka: European Option for Scanning Products
This year, Clean Water Action will be seeking the passage of several bills to remove mercury from skin lighteners, carcinogens in hair products and PFAS in menstrual products.
CLEAN WATER NEWS
Black History Month Clean Water Champion: Colron Chambers
Franklin Township passes Skip the Stuff
Can I get a fork with that? Getting plastic utensils with takeout is about to change in N.J.
EnviroPolitics – Skip the Stuff
New Jersey Law Limits Distribution Of Plastic Utensils, Condiments - Waste Advantage
New Jersey adopts law to reduce restaurants’ plastic waste - PackagingDive
