Skip the Stuff Heads to the Governor’s Desk - Saving New Jerseyans Money While Reducing Plastic Waste!
Trenton (January 12, 2026) - NJ’s Skip the Stuff legislation (S3195/A5157) passed on both the Senate and Assembly floors. If you want a plastic utensil or condiment packet you merely ask or grab what you want from an on-site self-serve dispenser – this is not a ban of these items.
“Skip the Stuff shows that environmental responsibility and economic savings can go hand in hand,” said Assemblywoman Collazos-Gill, prime sponsor of the bill. “This legislation is about awareness, choice, and cutting back on waste that hurts our health and environment.”
This legislation establishes on a state-wide basis what over 60 NJ towns are already doing because Skip the Stuff policies make sense. It reduces litter in the streets and waterways that can clog storm drains adding to flooding. It reduces waste going to overburdened landfills and incinerators. It saves small businesses money and waste handling costs.
Over 40 billion single use plastic forks, knives, and spoons are discarded each year in the United States. Most are never used, an equivalent of over $200 million of unused cutlery.
Clean Water Action’s ReThink Disposable program did a case study in Red Bank (NJ) after they passed their Skip the Stuff ordinance in 2024. Results show a 94% reduction in cutlery and condiments handed out. Business owners are thrilled because this equates to real money saved, and customers are pleased to have less clutter in their kitchen drawers.
“Skip the Stuff asks us to pause and only take what we actually need,” says Marta Young, Clean Water Action’s Zero Waste Specialist. “New Jersey is being a leader by passing Skip the Stuff, reducing single-use plastics while respecting consumer choice and supporting local businesses.”
(S3195/A5157) now heads to the Governor’s desk for his signature. This Skip the Stuff initiative is part of a larger Clean Water Action ReThink Disposable campaign.
Since our founding during the campaign to pass the landmark Clean Water Act in 1972, Clean Water Action has worked to win strong health and environmental protections by bringing issue expertise, solution-oriented thinking and people power to the table. Learn more at cleanwater.org/nj.
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