The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has opened the 2024 online manufacturer registration process for businesses that produce certain glass, paper and plastic containers sold in New Jersey, which by law must meet minimum recycled content standards.
The state’s 2022 Recycled Content Law affects manufacturers of rigid plastic containers, plastic beverage containers, plastic trash bags, plastic and paper carryout bags, and glass containers. The law exempts containers used for milk products, medical food, infant formula, and food for special dietary use.
The annual online registration service can be accessed through the Recycled Content Manufacturer Registration website. Two types of registration are available this year – initial registration and annual renewal. Initial registration is for manufacturers who are registering for the first time. Annual renewal is for manufacturers that completed an initial registration for 2023 and have already received a Facility ID from NJDEP Online.
Both initial registrations and annual renewals will be accepted through the end of the year, with both registration services closing on Dec. 31, 2024, at 11:59 p.m.
A $1,000 registration fee, plus processing fees, is assessed for renewals. For manufacturers filing an initial registration, the registration fee will be based on the year the manufacturer began selling regulated containers or packaging products into New Jersey.
For example, a manufacturer that began selling regulated containers or packaging products in New Jersey in 2022 will be billed $1,000 for each year the manufacturer failed to register with the NJDEP. Manufacturers that submitted a registration for 2023 but received notification from NJDEP that their registration was incomplete must submit an initial registration in 2024, rather than an annual renewal for 2024.
Manufacturers who make only exempt products, or whose global gross revenues are less than $5 million a year, are exempt from paying the registration fee.
Manufacturers who are unsure if they need to register, are urged to visit NJDEP – Division of Sustainable Waste Management – Recycled Content for more information.
