New York legislates restrictions on disposable tableware.

 

New York City Mayor Adams signed a new bill, called Skip the Stuff (rejecting disposable tableware).

 

Which will prohibit restaurants from actively providing disposable tableware, sauces, and paper towels for takeout orders, unless customers actively request it, otherwise they will be fined.

 

Data shows that the world consumes more than 320 million tons of plastic every year, of which 95% is used only once and 14% is recycled. New York City alone has 1.1 million pounds of single-use plastic waste.

 

New York City spends at least $42 million every year disposing of disposable tableware and container waste, and the massive increase in takeout since the epidemic has exacerbated the burden of waste disposal.

 

This new bill aims to reduce the amount of plastic waste while reducing restaurant expenses.

It will be officially implemented in August and will be enforced from July 1, 2024:

 

1. Fine for first violation is $100

2. A second fine of $200 within 12 months of the first fine

3. A third fine of $300 within 12 months of the second fine

 

Similar to the new bill is the plastic bag ban bill passed in New York in October 2020, and the bill banning the use of disposable foam tableware passed earlier in January 2019.

This is another European and American country/region that has issued a "plastic restriction order" after the UK announced that it will ban disposable plastic tableware.

It can be seen that global "plastic restriction" measures will continue to be upgraded in 2023.

 

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will ban most single-use plastic products starting in 2024, according to Ministerial Resolution No. 380 of 2022 issued on January 10, 2023. The resolution states that starting from January 1, 2024, the import, production or circulation of single-use plastic (including degradable plastic) shopping bags will be prohibited.

 

From January 1, 2026, the import, production or circulation of most other single-use plastic products will also be banned. Items such as soft drink cups and lids, spoons, forks, knives, chopsticks, plates, straws, stirrers, food containers and boxes made of foam plastic are all affected.

 

The resolution also urges businesses and consumers to adopt practices that reduce the production and consumption of single-use plastics, such as plastic packaging, during this period.

 

*The following products are exempt from the ban

rolls of tissue paper bags that comply with Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MCCE) specifications; products clearly marked for export or re-export only; single-use bags and items made from materials recycled in the UAE; and government agencies Any goods or materials exempted.