You are reading

Van Bramer Introduces Bill to Partially Ban Plastic Food Utensils

Photo: Jimmy Van Bramer (Twitter)

Oct. 18, 2019. By Shane O’Brien

Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer introduced a bill yesterday that aims to reduce the amount of plastic food utensils in New York City.

The legislation would prohibit take-out and delivery services from providing plastic utensils unless a customer expressly asks for it.

The bill includes plates, bowls, knives, forks, spoons and napkins.

Food establishments could only provide non-reusable utensils by request.

The bill states that the Department of Consumer Affairs would be in charge of issuing violations.

Van Bramer said that the overuse of plastic cutlery has a negative impact on the environment.

“We must reckon with the harmful effects that everyday plastic utensils have on our environment and do everything we can to prevent irreparable harm to our oceans and our planet,” said Van Bramer. “The status quo of including plastic utensils in all food orders by default is unnecessary and unsustainable.”

Van Bramer believes that by adding a simple opt-in feature to food orders, the city could reduce the amount of plastic utensils and also reduce their impact on the environment.

It is estimated that over 40 billion non-reusable plastic utensils are used annually in the United States which leads to the pollution of waterways and streets. Van Bramer argues that the utensils are easily disposable and so they are often thrown onto the street or into a body of water, which endangers wildlife.

email the author: [email protected]

12 Comments

Click for Comments 
Stephen R. Hammond

Requesting a non-inclusion of plastic utensils works. BUT HOW ABOUT THE MOUNTAINS OF PLASTICS NOW USED TO PACKAGE FRUIT, VEGETABLES, SALADS, BREADS, ROLLS, CAKES, MILK, SODA, AND, MY FAVORITE – PLASTICS I LOVE TO HATE: WATER BOTTLES”. Anybody got any ideas about these. (PS: Is there anyone else who still remembers use of a flimsy wooden boxes to wrap berries, paper bags to wrap veggies, waxed cardboard milk containers, glass soda bottles – AND – water available at public drinking fountains – AND (Drum Roll!) THE KITCHEN SINK. I used all these things and I’m still alive.

3
1
Reply
MermaidMe

Many of the utensils given are so flimsy are barely usable for one use anyway. Delis and Delivery tend to include way more than necessary. Do I need three sets of utensils for one order of Pad Thai being delivered to my home? I always check off “No utensils needed”, but they are included anyway. I assume this is because the person packing the order is not the same as the person who assembled it.
I’d rather have them keep the plastic. With the savings, perhaps they could then fill my rice container to the top?

3
3
Reply
Concerned LIC resident

Doesn’t Jimmy Van Walmart have anything better to do that throw plastic utensils at glass houses.

10
43
Reply
Anonymous

When I order on Seamless I always check the box that says not to include utensils but they put them in anyway.

4
3
Reply
Mingster

Great idea but the customer should be ASKED if utensils are needed. I, for one, would probably forget to ask for utensils when placing the order. Imagine on a beautiful day getting to the park with your bag of delicious deli food or wanting to eat in the car before you rush off to work … only to discover you have to go way back to the store for the utensils, or settle for eating coleslaw with your fingers? Hopefully you were given a napkin or two —- oops, you forgot to ask!

14
8
Reply
Ryan Matzner

I think the business asking customers “do you want utensils and napkins” would be incompliance. The bill is just about stoping automatic inclusion.

2
2
Reply
Artslover

Most people in this world only care about conveniences. Good that someone who can do something in legislation, is doing something.

10
19
Reply

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Manhattan bouncer charged in New Year’s Day fatal stabbing in Elmhurst: NYPD

A Manhattan man was arrested on Saturday and charged in the fatal stabbing of an East Elmhurst man during the early morning hours of New Year’s Day in what notably became the city’s first homicide of 2024.

Torrence Holmes, 35, of St. Nicholas Place in Hamilton Heights, was taken into custody at his home and transported back to Queens, where he was booked at the 110th Precinct in Elmhurst on manslaughter and other charges on Saturday afternoon.

After surge of traffic violence, Queens leaders demand safer streets especially for children

Following a tragic week on Queens streets where three pedestrians — 43-year-old Natalia Garcia-Valencia, 58-year-old Elisa Bellere and 8-year-old Bayrron Palomino Arroyo — were fatally struck by unsafe drivers, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards announced that he has allocated $1.5 million in capital funding for street safety improvements on three of the borough’s most dangerous roadways.

Richards made the announcement at 82nd Street and Astoria Boulevard in East Elmhurst on Monday morning, about a mile from where the 8-year-old boy was struck and killed by an impatient pickup truck driver from Flushing on Mar. 13 as he walked in the crosswalk at 31st Avenue and 101st Street with him mother and brother, who was injured.