There are essentially five species of pachysandra…but only one is native to North America. The native species, Pachysandra procumbens, only grows in the southeast of the United States. So first thing to know is if you live in North Jersey and you have pachysandra in your yard, it’s most likely have Pachysandra terminalis, a highly aggressive, fast growing, exotic invasive originating from China and Japan. This is the species most garden centers sell.
Both of these methods (by man or by plastic) are better than using herbicides to kill it…something I do not recommend.
Best thing to do is never plant it. Then you don’t have to remove it once it starts taking over your yard. If you want a groundcover for your more shady parts, I’d recommend a phlox, lowbush blueberry, lungwart, woodland asters or even Joe Pye Weed (thought JPW is a tall plant, not groundcover).