In an effort to reduce plastic use, New York City will begin fining restaurants and food delivery services that provide plastic utensils and individual condiment packages such as soy sauce without customers specifically requesting them. In late June of 2023, New York City announced implementation of the “Skip the Stuff” bill, which aims to reduce plastic use by issuing fines to restaurants and third-party food delivery services who provide unsolicited plastic cutlery, straws, and condiment packets. With popularity of take-out food and meal delivery steadily rising, the timing for such measures is opportune and will encourage businesses and consumers to be more conscious of plastic use habits. And with over half the plastic utensils discarded, skipping the single use plastics should benefit the environment.
Meetings were held in August and September to determine a fine structure. Food vendors and delivery services have a period to adapt before fines begin in July 2024. Currently, similar policy models are being considered by over thirty other cities as a reduction measure for single use plastics.
