Single-use plastics are now banned in restaurants in parts of Los Angeles County

Single-use plastics are now banned in restaurants in parts of Los Angeles County. 

On May 1st, a key part of Los Angeles County ordinance on single-use plastic foodware went into effect, eliminating plastic cups, containers, dishes, and cutlery in full-service restaurants in unincorporated Los Angeles County. Those plastic items are now replaced with sustainable alternatives like reusable cups and compostable cutlery. 

The ordinance passed in April 2022 as an effort to reduce plastic waste across Los Angeles communities and waterways. 

Before the ordinance went into effect, Los Angeles County was creating nearly 30 million tons of waste each year, with plastic items the greatest contributors. California recycles less than 15% of its single-use plastic. The rest ends up in landfills, burned in incinerators or in the environment. That plastic breaks down into microplastics in our environment, which have been found in every corner of the globe, as well as in human bodies, potentially hurting people’s health.

Nothing we use for a few minutes should pollute our environment for hundreds of years. 

That’s why CALPIRG helped to convince the county of Los Angeles to stop allowing plastic foodware items in restaurants, and our work is paying off. Now Angelenos can enjoy their favorite restaurants without worrying about contributing to our plastics waste crisis.