WA Law Asks Restaurants Cut Plastic Utensils Starting Next Month

OLYMPIA, WA — If you can't eat your phad thai without a plastic fork, you'd better practice asking for one, because starting next year, Washington restaurants can no longer automatically include single-use plastic utensils or items in their orders.

As the state Department of Ecology explains, that's because a new plastics law — which passed the state legislature in 2021, but goes into effect at the start of 2022 — which says food service businesses may only provide "single use food service products only after affirming that the customer wants the item or items", or face up to $2,000 in fines.

That includes:

• Plastic utensils
• Straws
• Condiment packages
• Cup lids for cold beverages

Hot beverages can still have lids on by default, as can all beverages sold through delivery service or curbside pickup. The law also does not include plates, bowls, cups or other food and beverage containers, wrappers for takeout food, or anything provided by medical facilities.

Bundles, however, are forbidden, meaning you won't be seeing those little plastic packages that contain a fork, spoon and napkins all in one.

Like the state's plastic bag ban or Seattle's straw ban, the change will likely take some time for everyone to get used to, but the Department of Ecology says it'll be worth it in the long run. Across the country, Americans use nearly 1 trillion pieces of disposable foodware and packaging each year. On top of the obvious environmental benefits from cutting down on all that plastic, the state says it should also lower costs to businesses who have to buy and dispose of the plastics, and lower taxpayer costs for solid waste management and litter clean-up.

Finally, it could have a direct impact on human health, by limiting exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. PFAS are manufactured chemicals used in takeout containers, cleaning products, waterproof apparel and more. They never disappear from the environment, and have been linked to problems with liver function, reproductive hormones, development of offspring, and mortality — which is why the state has made it a priority to limit their spread

>> Read the full text of the new law from the Washington State Legislature.