Lawmakers vote in favor of controversial new measure banning common items found in stores and restaurants: 'A win'

New laws could see businesses in Oregon do away with single-use plastic.

Lawmakers in Oregon voted in favor of Senate Bill 551, which could see restrictions over single-use plastics come into place in retail stores, restaurants, and hotels, according to the Salem Statesman Journal.

This eco-conscious new law would mean that restaurants and hotels could only provide plastic utensils, condiments, or single-use shampoos and hygiene items on request. It would also ban the use of thicker plastic bags following a ban in 2019 of thin, single-use plastic bags.

Laws like this are an incredible way to reduce passive waste, meaning that excess unused plastics aren't being created just to be thrown away. It also could make people think twice about opting for single-use plastics over a more sustainable option.

While it would be a great step toward a cleaner future, with less plastic waste ending up in landfills, it would also have a tangible impact on local communities by reducing littering.

Similar laws have been passed in England and the United Arab Emirates. Alongside this, plastic bag bans, such as the one in Oregon, have proven to be immensely successful. It was found to eliminate nearly 300 bags per person every year.

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Some people have expressed concerns over the ban as an imposition on personal freedom, but switching to strong paper bags would be just as convenient for individuals while making an incredible difference in reducing plastic waste.

If the bill goes forward as planned, single-use utensils and condiments will only be available upon request from July 1, 2026. By January 1, 2027, thicker plastic bags will be banned, and hotels with 50 or more rooms will only provide single-use toiletries upon request.

Senator Janeen Sollman was a chief sponsor of the bill and said, per the Salem Statesman Journal. "Freeing Oregon from those thick plastic bags is a win for the environment and for business."

Sollman told the Oregon Capital Chronicle, "I want to be clear, this is not a ban on all plastic, but a mere drop in the plastic deluge of products we encounter every day."