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Oct 16, 2024

New Jersey Senate passes bill to rightsize shipping boxes | Packaging Dive

It’s one of multiple packaging bills in play in the state, among others related to PFAS, EPR and plastic utensils. New Jersey has a history of mandating packaging changes. A New Jersey law signed in

It’s one of multiple packaging bills in play in the state, among others related to PFAS, EPR and plastic utensils.

New Jersey has a history of mandating packaging changes. A New Jersey law signed in 2022 took effect this year banning polystyrene packing peanuts and requiring various levels of recycled content in different packaging materials.

Similar to the packing peanuts legislation, S226 is a “common sense measure” for reducing packing waste, said Doug O’Malley, state director for Environment New Jersey.

In this session, “There's many bills that are on the Senate's desk in terms of plastic and waste reduction. I think it's really telling that this bill is the first bill that was heard in the full Senate and passed. And I think it just speaks to the fact this is a pretty universal experience and kind of speaks to the public,” said O’Malley, who is hopeful the Assembly could take it up in the fall.

But the New Jersey Business & Industry Association said the legislation represents an attempt to “micromanage sophisticated logistics organizations.” The organization predicts that shipping costs would rise for New Jersey consumers and next-day delivery service could be jeopardized. “Our policymakers should not be determining the best ways to ship without any expertise of their own,” said Ray Cantor, deputy chief government affairs officer at NJBIA, in an emailed statement.

Some of the largest e-retailers say they’re already making changes internally to rightsize packaging.

Walmart announced in June 2023 it was implementing technology across half of its fulfillment network to enable custom-fit packages for orders. It said this change could reduce the need for filler by 60% and cut waste by as much as 26%. Amazon has touted its use of machine learning to support implementation of optimized, lighter, rightsized packages. Outside equipment vendors are also eager to serve this niche.

The rightsizing bill was previously introduced in 2022. This session’s version was included in a May 13 meeting of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee. The amended version of the bill provided some exemptions for consumer electronics products. It also added language about conforming to any minimum size requirements established by the U.S. Postal Service or a private shipping company, as applicable. The Department of Environmental Protection and other authorities may impose fines on violators.

S226 is the farthest along; the bill wasn’t required to go before the Senate’s budget committee, which allowed it to move more quickly, according to O’Malley. But there are still multiple other packaging and recycling-related bills in play in New Jersey sponsored by Smith, McKeon and others. Among those on the docket at the May 13 hearing were bills addressing EPR for packaging, plastic and PFAS reduction.

The first two were reported out of committee: