The Single-Use Foodware Plastics, Toxics and Litter Reduction Ordinance aims to:

Reduce plastic pollution by prohibiting the distribution of plastic straws, among other foodware accessories, and providing allowed accessories only upon request
Eliminate toxic fluorinated chemicals from foodware products

Food & Beverage Vendors

Plastic Straw Restrictions

Starting July 1, 2019, the law restricts the distribution of single-use plastic straws, including compostable plastic straws. Acceptable single-use straws (such as paper straws) can only be made available upon request. A single-use plastic straw may only be provided to a customer who specifically requests a plastic straw to accommodate a disability or medical need.

Acceptable straws include:

Single-use paper or other natural fiber straws
Reusable straws, such as glass, silicon, or metal
Single-use plastic straws are available upon request for people with disabilities or medical needs. Businesses should wait for a person to request a plastic straw before providing one.

Starting January 1, 2020, single-use straws made of natural fiber or paper and all other compostable foodware must be certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI). Compostable plastic straws (PLA) are prohibited by San Francisco’s law because they act like conventional plastic in our environment if littered.

Plastic Accessories Ban

Starting July 1, 2019, food & beverage vendors may no longer provide the following single-use plastic accessories:

Plastic beverage plugs
Plastic cocktail sticks
Plastic stirrers
Plastic toothpicks

Acceptable single-use alternatives include accessories made from natural fiber (such as paper, bamboo, wood, etc.) and may only be made available upon request or in a self-service area.

All Food and Beverage Accessories

Starting July 1, 2019, even acceptable single-use food and beverage accessories must not be included automatically in a customer’s order for dine-in, take-out or delivery. The following single-use food and beverage accessories may be made available only upon request or in a self-service area:

Beverage plugs
Chopsticks
Condiment packages and portion cups
Lids
Napkins
Sleeves
Stirrers
Utensils

Compostable Foodware Criteria

Starting January 1, 2020, straws made of natural fiber or paper and all other compostable foodware must be certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI). Examples of compostable foodware include:

Grease resistant paper
Paper plates
To-go containers and straws made of paper or other natural fiber

Use only BPI-certified compostable foodware. (BPI website)

The following single-use foodware accessories, when made entirely of natural fiber (like paper or wood), do not need to be BPI-certified:

Cocktail sticks
Napkins
Splash sticks
Stirrers
Toothpicks
Utensils

Event Producers

As of July, 2019, the City and County of San Francisco passed the Single-Use Foodware Plastics, Toxics and Litter Reduction Ordinance (File No. 181004) to reduce plastic pollution and litter from single-use disposable items like straws and cups.

The new law restricts the distribution of plastic straws and allows food and beverage accessories like lids, cutlery, and napkins to be provided only upon customer request or at a self-serve station.
The law also requires event producers who provide prepared beverages to more than 100 attendees on City property to promote or provide reusable beverage containers to at least 10 percent of attendees.

How to Meet the New Event Producer Requirements

To meet this requirement, event producers must do at least one of the following:

Provide, lend, or sell reusable beverage cups to event attendees
Promote or incentivize attendees to bring their own reusable beverage cup

Sign up for the Zero Waste Events Workshop

The Department of Environment provides resources and technical assistance to event producers to meet zero waste requirements. Learn more about the plastic and litter reduction law and the waste prevention and recycling resources available to you.

Retailers

Plastic Foodware Requirements

Starting July 1, 2019, retailers must not sell the following single-use plastic foodware accessories:

Plastic beverage plugs
Plastic cocktail sticks
Plastic stirrers
Plastic toothpicks

Compostable Foodware Requirements

Starting January 1, 2020, straws made of natural fiber or paper and all other compostable foodware sold in San Francisco must be certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI). Examples of compostable foodware include: