November 10, 2023, marked the beginning of the enforcement of the Marin County Reusable Foodware Ordinance, which was adopted for unincorporated Marin on May 10, 2022. This ordinance was originally inspired in part by our youth-led No Straw, Please campaign in 2018
Single-use plastics can persist in our environment for hundreds of years. They litter our beaches, clog our waterways, and contribute to the global pollution crisis. The new ordinance will tackle this head-on by eliminating plastics at their source in Marin County. As consumers, we can actively contribute to reuse practices by bringing our own containers, cups, and utensils for take-out food and by composting foodware products made of natural fibers at home. This behavior change will have a significant impact on our collective carbon footprint.
Nearly every city and town in Marin has implemented a regulation aligned with or influenced by the Marin County Reusable Foodware Ordinance. This ordinance aims to educate food businesses and consumers about the distinctions between landfill waste, recyclables, and compostables. Its purpose is to assist both businesses and consumers in adhering to the ordinance and the California State Law SB 1383 (Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Act), thereby aiding in the diversion of compostable, organic food scraps from landfills in Marin County.
Embracing the Reusable Foodware Ordinance encourages businesses and consumers to reduce single-use plastics, advance climate-smart reuse practices, and promote natural fiber compostable take-out foodware products. Now, dine-in establishments in Marin are mandated to offer reusables or natural fiber compostable foodware containers and utensils to their patrons. This shift will reshape our habits and allow us to adapt to a more sustainable future.
The Reusable Foodware Ordinance disrupts the persistent misinformation about the true recyclability of bio-plastics and petroleum-based plastic materials. Many items labeled as "recyclable" or "compostable" are neither recycled nor directed to a composting facility with an anaerobic digester. Less than 7% of all plastic produced is recycled. The County is working with food businesses, including schools to ensure that all foodware labeled as “compostable” is compliant with the local waste haulers and composting facilities serving Marin County. Other issues tied to the recyclability of petroleum plastics and bio-plastics have to do with the absence of facilities and the limited recycling markets across the United States.
As a regional leader, Marin County is part of a larger coordinated movement called the Cleaner California Coast. This initiative is a collaborative effort between Marin, Sonoma, and Mendocino Counties, working with the Leave No Trace organization and managed by the EAC. The focus of this initiative complements Marin County’s Reusable Foodware Ordinance, informs SB 1383, and relates to the EAC’s bilingual Stewardship Guide by putting the focus on creating cleaner and healthier California coastal communities through practicing Leave No Trace and visitor education.
The Cleaner California Coast Initiative, Marin County’s Reusable Foodware Ordinance, and the EAC;’s Stewardship Guide are not just local initiatives. They are examples of how to empower people with information and consistent messaging while fostering communities to take action and make a difference by coming together for a shared cause.
Learn More
Marin County Reusable Foodware Ordinance
Marin County Coast Stewardship Guide Download a copy today! Available in English and Spanish
