Is New York About To Ban Plastic Silverware?

A new law impacting New York City in July has the rest of the state wondering if and when the law will be implemented everywhere else.

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When a person orders take-out, they have the option to check a little box stating that they don’t want any plastic silverware included with their order but it won’t be long before that little box isn’t even an option for those ordering in New York City.

Last week, New York City Mayor Eric Adams signed a law that prohibits both restaurants and food delivery services from including plastic silverware, napkins, and condiment packages with food orders unless a customer specifically requests them to be included.

The law has been nicknamed “Skip the Stuff” and it was introduced in June of 2022 and passed through the legislature this year. The law piggybacks on an executive order signed in 2019 by former New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio in which he required city agencies to work together to find a way to combat plastic silverware.

It isn’t just New York City attempting to cut back on waste. New York state, as a whole, enacted the bag ban in 2020 which prevents the use of single-use plastic bags such as those found in grocery stores. In 2021, New York State passed a law banning restaurants from giving customers non-compostable straws and drink stirrers.

New York City has been notorious for rolling out laws with the rest of the state eventually following suit which is why the rest of New York is watching to see how things go with the “Skip the Stuff” law to gage whether or not the rest of the state will also adopt it.

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