County Ban On Eateries Offering Disposable Tableware, Straws, Napkins Starts June 1

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — Starting Thursday, customers must specifically request disposable tableware, straws and napkins with their take-out and delivery orders from Prince George's County businesses.

In an attempt to reduce waste, legislators passed county bill CB-014-2022, which applies to all food service businesses, including full-service, fast food, cafés, delicatessens, coffee shops, supermarkets, grocery stores, vending trucks or carts, food trucks and cafeterias. It also applies to those entities operated by or on behalf of county departments and agencies selling or providing food for consumption on or off the premises that provide prepared or ready-to-eat food, according to the government.

Actual enforcement of the rule will start Oct. 1 with fines issued:

• 1st time violators will receive a warning
• 2nd time violators will receive a $250 fine
• 3rd time violators will receive a $500 fine

“These items are designed to be used once and discarded, contributing to contamination in our recycling stream,” Andrea Crooms, director of the Prince George’s County Department of the Environment, said. “Supporting this waste reduction and reuse culture will help our materials recycling facility operate more efficiently and keep waste and litter from ending up in our communities, streets, and waterways.”

Single-use foodware items covered by the new requirements include:

• Utensils (knives, forks, spoons, chopsticks)
• Splash sticks and stirrers
• Straws (under county law, CB 52-2019, only compostable and paper straws are permitted)
• Condiment cups and packets
• Cup sleeves
• Napkins