Disposable Plastics – What you need to know about foodware reduction rules
The City of Indio is working with local restaurants, businesses and residents to comply with Assembly Bill 1276, a state law that prohibits food facilities and food delivery services from providing single-use food accessories or standard condiments unless requested by the customer.
Public and private school cafeterias, correctional institutions and licensed health care and residential care facilities are exempt.
What’s Affected?
Single-Use
Foodware
- Plastic utensils, including forks, knives, spoons, sporks
- Chopsticks
- Straws
- Stir sticks
- Condiment cups and packets
- Splash sticks
- Cocktail sticks
Condiment
Packets
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayonnaise
- Soy sauce
- Hot sauce
- Salsa
- Salt & pepper
- Sugar & sugar substitutes
Be Wise – Take only what you need
The new rule targets zero use plastic items that take resources to manufacture and distribute only to be wasted. By requesting the utensils and condiments you want to use, we are reducing plastic production, which generates greenhouse gases and mountains of waste each year. Eliminating plastic waste from zero and one-time foodware is is not only good for our environment but can save businesses thousands of dollars a year!
The new rules build on existing restrictions on straws and plastic bags. By reducing our single-use disposables, we are reducing plastic production, which generates greenhouse gases and mountains of waste each year. Eliminating plastic waste from one-time foodware is not only good for our environment but can save businesses thousands of dollars a year!
Carry Your Wares
Carry your own reusable foodware when possible.
Use reusables made from ceramic, glass and metal.
Use fiber-based compostable materials such as paper, sugarcane and bamboo.
Pinch the Plastic
Reject disposable foodware made from traditional plastic and carry your own reusable service set.
Make requests for single-use foodware only as needed.
Select condiments that are self-serve from bulk dispensers.
Cut the Cost$
Americans use and discard billions of disposable plastic foodware items every year, resulting in 4.9 million tons of waste that harms animals and the environment.
U.S. restaurants spend $19 billion on disposable foodware annually. Eateries that have adopted a combination of requested and reusable foodware save between $3,000 and $21,000 a year.
Reducing consumption of plastic and increasing our recycling is crucial to protecting our landfills, communities, and waterways today and for future generations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Want to learn more?
Our customer service team is here to help! Contact Sara Toyoda, Environmental Programs Coordinator, to learn more about organics recycling. For more information about statewide organics recycling efforts and SB 1383, go to www.calrecycle.ca.gov/organics.
