When Hoboken's plastic bag ban went into effect in January, customers were still able to carry their groceries home in — yes — plastic bags.

Hoboken is one of several municipalities across New Jersey, including Glen Rock, Stafford and Jersey City, whose "bans" still let customers buy plastic bags that are slightly thicker than traditional grocery store bags and are billed as reusable.

Some environmentalists say this is a loophole that doesn't do enough to tackle plastic waste in New Jersey. Municipal officials counter that it's a start toward a complete ban while still greatly reducing the number of bags used by customers.

But those thicker plastic bags may be short-lived.

A bill making its way through Trenton would prohibit any plastic carryout bag statewide — no matter its thickness. A key group that advises local officials on environmental issues is pushing towns to adopt a complete ban. And Hoboken officials are now considering a ban on all plastic bags just six months after allowing the thicker versions.

"This is what I would characterize as phase two in dealing with plastics," said Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, who will soon ask the City Council to enact a complete ban that would take effect early next year. "We've had strong interest from residents to move forward on this."

Bordered by water on three sides and sandwiched between New York City and Philadelphia, New Jersey has become inundated with plastics litter. About 85 percent of the litter picked up at two annual beach cleanups by Clean Ocean Action in recent years was plastic.

A 2016 report by NY/NJ Baykeeper estimated that there were almost 166 million pieces of microscopic plastic floating in the waterways of New Jersey and New York. Scientists have found microplastics in some of the most pristine rivers and creeks, including the upper Raritan and Passaic rivers.

That has prompted many towns, especially along the Jersey Shore, to take action.

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Many of the local ordinances are based on California’s landmark plastic bag regulation, which is considered very effective in reducing bag use but still allows thicker bags.

The ordinances allow plastic bags that are 2.25 mils, which is similar in thickness to a heavy-duty trash bag. They are not to be confused with the reusable woven plastic tote bags that most large supermarkets sell for about $1.

The thicker non-tote plastic bags are supposed to hold up to 25 pounds and be strong enough to withstand being reused 125 times, according to most ordinances like the one in Hoboken. But some of the bags purchased by NorthJersey.com and the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey at Hoboken supermarkets started to tear with only four to five uses.

“They're supposed to be able to be used 125 times, but I’m not certain that’s happening in practice in Hoboken,” Bhalla said.

The thicker-bag option is supported by the New Jersey Food Council, a lobbying group for supermarkets. The group favors eliminating thin single-use plastic bags along with the more costly paper bags. Stores in most towns get to keep the 10 cents to 25 cents they charge for the thicker plastic bags.

“We look to the model language in California that has proven to be wildly successful and provides for the use of reusable heavy-gauge bags that can be recycled,” said Linda M. Doherty, president and CEO of the council.

Indeed, a government report on California's bag law showed that in 86 percent of transactions at 1,405 stores customers used their own reusable bag, in 11 percent of transactions customers purchased a reusable grocery bag made from plastic film, and in 3 percent of transactions customers purchased a recycled paper bag.

Businesses and some environmentalists say the fees in some partial bans that are charged to use plastic bags make a difference.

Only 25 percent of shoppers at the Hoboken ShopRite are buying the thicker plastic bags. "The majority of our customers are bringing their own reusable bags to the store to shop," said Karen O'Shea, a spokeswoman for the store.

John Weber, mid-Atlantic regional manager for the environmental advocacy group Surfrider Foundation, said at the very least thicker plastic film bags should cost more than the dime most stores are required to charge.

Customers "are not inclined to use them over and over," Weber said. "The cost should be much higher for thicker plastic bags, because you create an incentive for people to bring their own bags."

More than 20 municipalities in New Jersey have passed bag ordinances within the past two years, and several more towns are drafting ordinances.

Glen Rock's ordinance is billed as a "reduction," not a ban, because it allows the thicker bags. Municipal officials have said they wanted to gradually change consumer habits and not be too punitive to stores in town. The ordinance takes effect in January.

Another town considering an ordinance is Paramus, which is significant because the borough is home to hundreds of stores, including the tenants of four major malls. But the draft ordinance still allows thicker plastic bags to be sold. That means large retailers, such as the two Macy's in Paramus, can still give out their bags to customers.

The Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions is hoping it can persuade Paramus to adopt a complete ban.

"Very few people are going to use a Macy's bag over and over and over again for 125 times," said Jennifer Coffey, executive director of the association. "I have a reusable bag I've use for 15 years. There is no way the plastic bags they allow now would ever reach that."

The state bill, S-2776, has stalled in Trenton after gaining significant momentum last year. But if it is passed, no customers would be able to get a plastic bag from any retail establishment or restaurant in New Jersey.

Bhalla is hoping a similar ban takes effect in Hoboken next year.

"Our goal is to eliminate all plastic bags," he said.

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The impact on consumers if the state ban becomes law