A proposed bill, which would charge five cents for single-use plastic bags at grocery stores in New Jersey, hit a snag this week when Gov. Phil Murphy used a line-item veto on the measure.
The big picture: Plastic waste has created a serious environmental problem, with global plastic production growing over 400 million tons in 2015. Because of this, local governments, major cities, states, and foreign governments are introducing legislation that would cut back on single-use plastics, such as grocery bags and straws. However, some of these efforts have been met with fierce opposition.