13:1E-99.132 Plastics Advisory Council.
7. a. There is established in the Department of Environmental Protection the Plastics Advisory Council. The council shall monitor the implementation of P.L.2020, c.117 (C.13:1E-99.126 et al.), and evaluate its effectiveness in reducing single-use plastics and plastic waste in the State.
b. The council shall consist of 16 members as follows:
(1) the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, who shall serve ex officio, or the commissioner's designee;
(2) the Commissioner of Health, who shall serve ex officio, or the commissioner's designee;
(3) the Secretary of Agriculture, who shall serve ex officio, or the secretary's designee; and
(4) the following members appointed by the Governor:
(a) two members of the academic community with expertise on the issues of single-use plastics and plastic waste;
(b) four members representing the environmental community;
(c) four members representing stores and food service businesses in the State;
(d) one member representing the polystyrene foam industry;
(e) one member representing the recycling industry; and
(f) one member representing local governments.
c. All appointments to the council shall be made no later than 90 days after the effective date of P.L.2020, c.117 (C.13:1E-99.126 et al.). The term of office of each public member shall be three years. Each member shall serve until a successor has been appointed and qualified, and vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments for the remainder of the unexpired term. A member is eligible for reappointment to the council. The members of the council shall serve without compensation, but shall be eligible for necessary and reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available for the council's purposes.
d. The council shall organize as soon as practicable following the appointment of its members and shall select a chairperson and a vice-chairperson from among its members, as well as a secretary who need not be a member of the council. A majority of the membership of the council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of council business. The council may meet and hold hearings at the place or places it designates.
e. No later than one year after the effective date of P.L.2020, c.117 (C.13:1E-99.126 et al.), and each year thereafter, the council shall prepare and submit a written report to the Governor, the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), and the respective chairpersons of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee and the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee, or their successors, evaluating the implementation and effectiveness of P.L.2020, c.117 (C.13:1E-99.126 et al.), and making any recommendations for legislative or administrative action to improve the implementation or effectiveness of P.L.2020, c.117 (C.13:1E-99.126 et al.).
f. (1) The council shall also study the environmental and public health impacts of single-use plastics and micro-plastics; healthy and environmentally-friendly alternatives to single-use plastics; strategies and policies to increase the recyclability of plastics and reduce the amount of plastic entering the environment; the technological feasibility of increasing recycled content of consumer plastics and expanding the types of plastics that may be manufactured from recycled material; and ways to enhance the development and expansion of markets of post-consumer recycled plastic, including State and local purchasing and procurement practices.
(2) No later than two years after the effective date of P.L.2020, c.117 (C.13:1E-99.126 et al.), the council shall submit a written report to the Governor, the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), and the respective chairpersons of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee and the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee, or their successors. The written report shall summarize the analysis conducted pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection and recommend ways to reduce the use of plastics and the amount of plastic entering the environment, and increase the rate of recycling of plastics.
L.2020, c.117, s.7.