California Bans Plastic Straws in Restaurants!

Let's celebrate this victory! On Thursday, September 20, 2018, California became the FIRST state in the nation to ban restaurants from automatically offering plastic straws unless customers request for them!

Starting January 1, 2019, full-service restaurants in California are no longer allowed to automatically distribute single-use plastic straws to customers. If customers want a straw, they will have to request for one. California Governor Jerry Brown signed the new law on Thursday, September 20, 2018 and it will go into effect next year. While it does not apply to fast-food establishments, the law does have some teeth: Restaurants that don't comply with the new law will receive two warnings before being fined up to $300 per year.

Although fast-food restaurants are exempted, this is definitely an important step toward raising awareness about plastic pollution and reducing ocean pollution. Plastic straws will not be used unnecessarily, unless people request for one!

Way to go, California!!

Click on image below or this link to read the article on CNBC.

Here is a mailer sent out by CR&R Environmental Services in January 2019 to all customers in the recycling bill raising awareness of the new Assembly Bill 1884.