The Last Straw: Union City Plans To Ban Plastic Sippers

UNION CITY, CA — Restaurants in Union City are on notice that the city plans to ban plastic straws and make other changes in single-use restaurant items that end up in the landfill. That includes everything from plastic forks to napkins and condiment packets.

The City Council directed staff to prepare an ordinance that will do the following:

• Prohibit restaurants and food vendors from providing single-use plastic straws. Compostable straws will be provided when customers request a straw.
• Require restaurants to provide Disposable Food Ware Accessories only when the customer specifically requests these items. Examples of accessories are single-use utensils, napkins, cup lids, condiment packages and portion cups. Many restaurants already practice this provision by providing service counters with food-ware. Customers select the food-ware items needed. Drive-in restaurants would be exempt from providing food-ware accessories upon request.

The City Council plans to act on the proposed ordinance at the end of September with the new law going into effect Jan. 1 of 2020. Enforcement of the new law would start on July 1, 2020.

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