NC legislature introduces bill to reduce plastic in takeout

Ever feel like you are handed unnecessary plastic junk everywhere you go? 

Well, a new bill (H679) was introduced Tuesday by Rep. Julie Von Haefen would address just that. 

Whether it’s a straw you didn’t ask for, or a set of utensils thrown into your take out order that you’re taking back home to eat anyways, unnecessary single use plastics are all around us. And they are really hard to avoid even if you’re trying. Studies have estimated that one trillion disposable foodware items are used in the United States each year, generating nine million tons of waste. 

It’s bad enough that single-use plastics we use for just a few minutes last in our environment for hundreds of years, but it’s even worse when it’s plastic we never wanted to use in the first place. 

If passed, this new bill, the Customer Opt-in for Single-Use Foodware Act, would require that customers opt-in for single-use foodware items such as utensils and condiments rather than receive them as the default. This simple change would help shift consumer habits and reduce single use plastics consumption, all while potentially saving businesses money by ensuring they don’t give away more foodware items than are truly needed. 

Take action now to tell your legislators it’s time to act on plastics.