Starting May 1 restaurants in unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County can no longer distribute single-use serviceware that is not compostable or recyclable, unless the customer requests the items.

The ordinance adopted by the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors on April 19, 2022 supports county efforts to address litter in communities and waterways, helps achieve surface water quality standards and serves the county goals for waste reduction and the board-adopted priority of sustainability.

This ordinance applies to food facilities and retail establishments that are located within the unincorporated area of the county, as well as to food facilities located within County facilities.

Read the full ordinance text here.

Provisions in effect:

–Prohibits food facilities such as restaurants, cafeterias, food trucks, etc. located in the unincorporated areas from providing single use foodware accessories (e.g. straws, forks, condiment packets, napkins, etc.) to customers unless the customer requests them.

–Requires full-service restaurants to use multiservice utensils (i.e., reusable foodware) for dine-in customers

–Requires online food-ordering businesses to include on their platforms a way for food facilities to offer single use foodware accessories so customers may select which accessories, if any, they choose to be packaged with their order.

Also of May 1, phasing in of the following begins:

–Requires that single-use articles that food facilities provide to customers with ready-to-eat food, such as food containers, cups, dishes and accessories, be either compostable or recyclable.

–Prohibits the retail sale of products made from expanded polystyrene (also known as “Styrofoam”), such as coolers, packaging materials, single-use articles such as cups, plates, and similar items and pool toys, unless the products are encased in a durable material.