Reduction of Waste from
Single-Use Articles & Expanded Polystyrene Products Ordinance
Reduction of Waste from Single-Use Articles & Expanded Polystyrene Products Ordinance
County of Los Angeles Ordinance
The ordinance adopted by the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors on April 19, 2022 supports County efforts to address litter in our communities and waterways, helps achieve surface water quality standards, and serves the County goals for waste reduction and the Board-adopted priority of sustainability.
This ordinance applies to food facilities and retail establishments that are located within the unincorporated area of the County, as well as to food facilities located within County facilities.
Who is Impacted and How to Comply
Food Facilities
Including but not limited to full-service restaurants, “brick and mortar” permanent establishments, food trucks, mobile food facilities, certified farmers’ markets, temporary food facilities and catering operations in the unincorporated County areas and located within County facilities.
Online Food-Ordering Platforms
Website or mobile application through which a customer can place an order for pick-up or delivery of ready-to-eat food, including those operated directly by food facilities and by third-parties, for orders to or from locations in the unincorporated County areas.
Retail Establishments
Commercial establishments in the unincorporated County areas and located within County facilities that sell goods directly to customers primarily for their own consumption or use.
Provisions in Effect
Requires full-service restaurants to use multiservice utensils (i.e., reusable foodware) for dine-in customers
Requires that single-use articles, such as food containers, cups, dishes and accessories, that food facilities provide to customers with ready-to-eat food must be compostable or recyclable.
Prohibits food facilities such as restaurants, cafeterias, food trucks, caterers, etc. from providing single use foodware accessories (e.g. straws, forks, condiment packets, napkins, etc.) to customers unless the customer requests them.
Requires online food-ordering businesses to include on their platforms a way for food facilities to offer single use foodware accessories so customers may select which accessories, if any, they choose to be packaged with their order.
Prohibits the retail sale of products made from expanded polystyrene (also known as “Styrofoam”), such as coolers, packaging materials, single-use articles such as cups, plates, and similar items, and pool toys, unless the products are encased in a durable material.
Upcoming Effective Dates
May 1, 2024
- All farmers’ markets, catering operations and temporary food service establishments must cease using noncompostable and non-recyclable single-use foodware articles.