Washington state is working to reduce single-use plastics in restaurant orders, protecting public health by minimizing exposure to harmful microplastics and giving customers more control over what they receive.
The Evergreen State's law around this, which came into effect at the start of 2022, prohibits restaurants from automatically including disposable utensils, condiments, straws, and other single-use items with restaurant takeout orders.
"Automatically including disposable silverware, straws, and condiments with every order creates a huge amount of waste, much of which ends up littering our roads and damaging our environment," said Laurie Davies, manager of the Solid Waste program at the Washington Department of Ecology, in a press release. "This law nudges people to help reduce unnecessary waste.
Washington's law covers utensils, cocktail picks, straws, condiment packets, and cup lids except at drive-throughs or large venues. Customers can still request these items when needed for their orders from the provider.
The legislation benefits public health by reducing plastic contamination — microplastics from disposable utensils and containers can leach into meals, introducing harmful chemicals into the body.
Studies have increasingly linked these tiny plastic particles to health concerns that include hormonal disruptions and inflammation.
Restricting the automatic inclusion of these disposables also helps reduce litter polluting neighborhoods and waterways — nearly one trillion single-use food service products are disposed of or littered annually in the United States, per a 2021 Upstream report.
The law helps to encourage using reusable utensils, developing sustainable habits similar to the state's proposed ban on plastic bags.
Reducing single-use plastics can also help improve recycling efficiency, as these items can contaminate recycling streams and increase processing costs.
The Department of Ecology developed informational materials in 17 languages when the new law came into effect, with local governments and businesses receiving downloadable toolkits helping to inform staff and customers about the new requirements.
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