More than One Use

A place to play and stay. Don't trash Barnegat Bay.

Too many bags, bottles, cups, and straws are designed for just one use before being tossed away—often ending up as litter. Single-use plastics are especially harmful because they linger in the environment for years. Many of these items find their way into creeks and rivers that feed into Barnegat Bay, polluting the water, endangering marine life, and spoiling the experience of swimming and fishing—not just today, but for the future.

Care for the Bay

Reuse and Get Past Single-Use Plastic

No one wants to see a plastic bag or bottle drifting by while clamming or swimming in Barnegat Bay, or wrappers scattered across the beach. We cherish Barnegat Bay and want to keep it clean and thriving for ourselves and the wildlife that call it home. Choose reusable containers—Barnegat Bay is worth it!

Bring Your Own Bag

Many plastic bags wind up in our waterways and the bay. For shopping and take-out food, bring your own reusable bag.

Use a Reusable Straw, or Skip the Straw

Plastic straws are also one of the most littered plastic items. Reusable straws are available in a variety of materials, including stainless steel and silicone. Skip the straw, or use a reusable one.

Bring Your Own Cup

Keep a reusable coffee cup or mug in your bag, at work or in your car.

Carry a Reusable Water Bottle

Plastic water bottles are one of the most commonly found items during community cleanups in the Barnegat Bay watershed. Invest in a reusable water bottle to cut waste and save money.

The Problem With Plastic

In 2018 alone, 35.7 million tons of plastic were generated in the United States. While plastic can be useful to preserve food or to package some items, it is important to understand the detrimental impacts it has on the environment, and what you can do to help reduce those impacts.

Plastic waste usage from 1960-2018.

Plastic waste affects water quality, endangers plants and animals, and pollutes the outdoor spaces that we depend on for tourism and recreation. Plastic items are particularly concerning because of their tendency to persist in the environment.

Animals that become entangled in debris risk suffocating or drowning. Many species mistake plastic debris for food or inadvertently ingest it while feeding or swimming. Once ingested, the plastic can damage an animal’s digestive tract and interfere with its ability to feed, even leading to starvation.

Source: EPA 2022

Microplastics collected

Most plastic materials are petroleum-based. Chemicals, such as flame retardants and pigments, are often added to provide specific properties. When exposed to sunlight or other environmental factors, chemical toxins in plastics can be released into the soil and water.

Often, plastic pollution fragments into smaller plastic particles called “microplastics,” which are less than 5 mm in size. Ingestion of microplastic particles can expose aquatic life to the chemicals used to produce the plastic material itself as well as pollutants in the environment that tend to accumulate on plastic particles.

Visit the EPA Trash Free Waters website to learn more about the impacts of aquatic trash and what you can do.

New Jersey Law

On Nov. 4, 2020, New Jersey enacted a comprehensive new law banning single-use plastic bags. The law aims to reduce the quantity of single-use plastics and prevent plastic pollution in our state. Effective as of May 4, 2022, it prohibits retailers from providing single-use plastic bags and polystyrene foam food service products. Additionally, plastics straws are only provided to customers by request. Learn more about the law on the NJDEP’s Get Past Plastic website.

Thank you to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its support in developing the Barnegat Bay is Worth More Than One Use campaign.

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