New Jersey is a leader in regulating packaging to avoid waste and reduce pressure on landfills.  In 2022, the state banned polystyrene peanuts for packing, resulting in adoption of alternatives by major shippers including Amazon.

New Jersey Senate Bill S226 was recently passed to regulate the size of corrugated containers used to ship small items.  The Bill specifies that the outer box shall not exceed twice the volume of the shipped product.

Predictably, the New Jersey Business and Industry Association opposed the legislation characterizes as an attempt to “micromanage sophisticated logistic organizations”.  Irrespective of this response, many shippers including Walmart have adopted “right-size packaging”.  The Company has achieved a 60 percent reduction in the use of fillers and has diminished overall cardboard waste by a quarter. Advances in machine learning and AI are facilitating more rational packaging in fulfillment centers.

The New Jersey right-size legislation will be considered by the Lower House before enactment and may incorporate some exemptions to conform to the regulations of the U.S. Postal Service.

Additional legislation under consideration by the New Jersey Senate include a prohibition on single use plastic utensils and containers for food service, restrictions and verification for sale and distribution of products claimed to be recyclable; reduction in plastic waste and a deposit system for beverage containers.

There are numerous opportunities for the egg industry to recycle and to reduce wastage by adopting innovative outer packaging. This will require cooperation with retailers and adoption of common systems and standards.