In situations where customers receive their own food or drink and then pay a cashier, such as convenience stores, delicatessens, you can place plastic utensils — including forks, spoons, and knives — in a self-service area for customers. You can place plastic utensils, including forks, spoons, and knives, in a customer`s self-service area. However, individually packaged plastic straws, stirrers and spices* should be stored behind the counter. (You can ask customers if they need these items.) No difference is made in the size of the covered retail stores, and restaurants are also included – although with a few exceptions. Bag thickness requirements as well as handles for reusable plastic options can also limit the spread of more resource-intensive plastic substitutes. Fee exemptions for clients who use various income support programs can also alleviate financial burden issues. Portland businesses can`t automatically include individually packaged plastic straws, stirrers, utensils, or spices in a customer`s order for dinner, drive-thru, takeout, or delivery. The House amendment clarifies that the prohibition does not apply to hospitals or nursing homes that provide straw to patients and residents. The bill also provides an exception for steering wheel controls, allowing convenience stores to leave straws unattended if there is not enough space for them behind the counter. Plastic straws, stirrers or spice bags should be stored behind the counter. When a customer orders groceries “to stay,” employees should only provide items when a customer requests it.
If the customer orders “to leave,” employees can ask a customer if they need any of the items. If you wish to supply these items, you must add a question in the ordering process asking the customer if they need plastic items (utensils, straws or stirrers or spice packaging) and provide only the items that the customer requests. Reduce plastic waste and reduce the consumption of energy and resources, including fossil fuels, needed to make items that are used only once. In May 2019, the state of Oregon passed Senate Bill 90, which limits straws to “demand.” The state bill does not prejudge Portland`s policies. Businesses within Portland`s city limits must follow Portland`s guidelines, which cover not only straws, but also individually packaged stirrers, utensils, and spices. Oregon is considering adopting a national rule that would prohibit full-service restaurants from providing single-use plastic straws to customers unless the customer requests it. This is commonly referred to as the “straw on demand” rule. Oregon is expected to pass the new law during the Legislature in January 2019. In some cases, restaurants or other retailers use paper straws. Paper straws usually have a thin wax coating to prevent the straw from becoming pasty.
But if you`ve ever used a paper straw, you know they`re still getting pasty. In 2019, Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed Senate Bill 90. This bill explicitly prohibited restaurants and other grocers from automatically installing plastic straws without the customer`s request. During the same session, Governor Kate Brown also passed House Bill 2509. This law prohibited the use of single-use plastic cash registers. Unlike the straw ban, the plastic bag ban ensured that retailers could not issue plastic bags without first charging customers. The law also introduced fines for entities that do not comply. First, the Oregon Department of Agriculture, oregon health authority, or county health departments notify the company twice. If a company still distributes plastic straws, it will be liable to a fine of $25 per day, with a maximum fine of $300 per year. If your restaurant delivers straws made from a sustainable alternative – like wheat (HAY! Straws), stainless steel, paper or bamboo – then you can start: you don`t have to change anything. However, if you currently provide single-use plastic straws, you must comply with the new law. Note: Your company is responsible for complying with this policy, even if the customer orders through a third-party application.
If a customer receives these plastic items without being asked, your business can be fined. Let`s be clear – paper straws are the worst. You can`t handle drinks with ice, or with hot drinks like hot chocolate. Temperatures essentially melt straw and make it moist even faster. Oregon House passed a bill Wednesday night banning restaurants and convenience stores from automatically adding single-use plastic straws with beverages. While the ban has been effective in that many people have stopped using plastic straws, it has not completely banned plastic straws. In places like Portland, restaurants should also consider “compostable” or “biodegradable” plastic straws as plastic straws and only issue them on demand. One of the best properties of sugar cane straws is their taste. If you have ever used a paper straw, you know that they have a unique taste.
They basically taste like paper, and who wants that in their mouth? The state joins California, Connecticut, Maine, New York and Vermont and adopts a statewide policy to restrict plastic bags. Hawaii has a de facto county-level ban, and Delaware`s ban awaits an expected signature from its governor. If you choose to continue stocking single-use plastic straws, following the “on-demand” rule is to get used to a new procedure. You`ll need to prepare your employees to break the habit of handing out plastic straws to every customer – they should ask for it first. If Oregon law is passed, restaurants caught issuing single-use plastic straws without being asked could face fines of up to $300. The first and second offences result in a written warning, and any subsequent offence will result in fines of $25 for each day the restaurant fails to comply, no more than $300 per year. So if paper straws are so bad, what are the alternatives? Sugar cane straws are one of the new types of straws on the market. Sugarcane straws use fibers from the sugar cane plant to make a straw with structural integrity and 100% biodegradable materials.
As more laws like Oregon`s go through their state legislatures, the need for solid alternatives to single-use plastic straws is growing. Currently, most restaurants and other food and beverage retailers use paper straws. The bill is the first of three that deal with plastic waste and must be approved by both Houses. Oregon also joins a smaller group, including California and Vermont, in regulating straws. Vermont`s recently signed law (S.113), which also bans plastic stirrers and containers containing expanded polystyrene foam, continues to be considered the gold standard by environmental groups. Oregon`s own attempt to ban moss failed this year due to the state legislature. There are many alternatives to plastic straws, but few of them are attractive. The first is to get customers to bring their reusable straws to the restaurant. These can be made of metal, wood or even plastic and last for years.
However, getting customers to bring their own straws can be tedious. Businesses can save money by reducing the quantities of disposable items made available to customers. Customers also want less single-use plastic. In a recent survey, respondents overwhelmingly supported the city`s efforts to reduce single-use plastics. Companies that switch to reusable crockery and cutlery in catering situations also offer their customers a better dining experience. You can only provide individually packaged plastic straws, stirrers, utensils or spices if a customer wishes. Sugarcane straws have a slight brown sugar flavor. While it`s not important enough to replace the sugar in your drink, straw leaves a pleasant taste in your mouth instead of a paper flavor. Plastic straws and agitators. Plastic utensils, including forks, spoons, spurs and knives.
Some people with disabilities find it difficult, if not impossible, to drink without a straw, and plastic straws meet their needs better than paper or metal straws. Even if you want to completely eliminate plastic straws, we recommend that you keep a small supply that you can provide upon request. The ban on plastic straws did not directly ban products. Instead, the law dictated that retailers could not automatically place orders, including a plastic straw. Instead, the customer should ask for a straw. Once the customer requests it, the retailer can distribute plastic straws. Other plastic utensils, such as stirrers, forks and knives, are banned, as are plastic straws. Restaurants and convenience stores can issue them, but only according to the customer`s requirements. Spices packaged in plastic, such as ketchup and mustard, are also prohibited unless invited. The only advantage that paper straws have over most of their competitors is the speed with which they begin to biodegrade. Within four hours, you can put your paper straw in a liquid in the compost bin. Many cities are interested in adopting their own rules for the use of plastic straws.
Portland has already passed a new ordinance in late 2018 (enforcement begins July 1, 2019) to implement an on-demand straw rule, and the Eugene City Council is also discussing a similar ordinance. However, a change to Oregon`s potential statewide ban could ban cities from regulating the use of plastic straws, which would outweigh any existing regulations like Portland`s. Under the new law, you can continue to store single-use plastic straws, but only deliver them if a customer has first requested one. However, you may be able to automatically dispense straws to each customer if you opt for a reusable or compostable alternative.