Why don t stores use paper bags anymore?

The countdown to New Jersey’s strict bag ban is over and a new set rules goes into effect May 4 at grocery stores, bodegas, restaurants, schools and retail stores.

While the Garden State survived without single-use plastic bags before the 1980s, back then paper bags were around to (literally) shoulder the weight. That won’t be the case everywhere come early May.

Here’s everything you need to know about where paper bags will be banned and allowed statewide, and why.

Been getting a lot of questions about the bag ban and in its simplest terms: no bags at grocery stores. paper bags everywhere else.

there's obviously a lot more nuance to that, but at its most simplistic, that's essentially what it boils down to.

— katie kausch (@KatieKausch) April 4, 2022

Attention Walmart customers. Say goodbye to brown bags.

First, it was plastic. Now it's paper. Walmart has removed all bags from New York stores.

Plastic bags are long gone in New York after legislation was signed in 2019 banning single-use plastic bags in the state. Now paper bags have followed suit, at least at all  Walmart stores.

Walmart Goes Bagless

Many stores have been charging a small fee for the use of paper bags after the plastic bag ban went into effect. Or you could use recyclable ones. Today, brown bags are no more.

Paper bags were eliminated at several Central New York stores in September. But today ALL Walmart locations in New York are officially bagless.

Remember Your Bags

If you're a Walmart shopper you'd better start remembering to not only bring your reusable bags from home but actually take them out of the car when you shop. Otherwise, you'll be forced to buy more. That, or take everything out to the vehicle in a cart and carry it into the house one item at a time. And who's got time for that?

You could also order everything you need online at Walmart.com and either schedule a curbside pickup or have it delivered right to your door.

12 Things You Should NEVER Recycle

While many people already know that recycling is good for the environment, they may actually be putting the wrong things in their recycling bins. Here are 12 items that most people think are recycled, but are usually just discarded into the trash at the transfer station.