Make Reusable Cups Mainstream in CA!

SB 1167 takes a step forward in reducing California’s stream of plastic and paper waste by requiring reusable cups when dining-in at chain restaurants. Disposable cups are used for mere minutes and although they are often marketed as recyclable or compostable, cups frequently end up in the landfill or environment. 

In California alone, plastic food service ware is responsible for over 500,000 tons of waste each year. Reducing the size of this waste stream will keep single-use  plastics out of landfills and waterways,  cut costs for businesses, and shift consumer behavior towards reuse. 

Requiring chain restaurants to provide non-toxic reusable cups for customers who dine-in creates a better experience for customers, safer for human health, saves  businesses money that they would have  otherwise spent on disposable cups, and prevents an accumulation of landfill waste and pollution. 

This bill aligns with Surfrider’s Ocean Friendly Restaurant program which is fostering a community of like-minded restaurants working to make plastic-free dining mainstream. There are over 300 Ocean Friendly Restaurants in California already using reusables when dining in. This equates to about 62,500 plastic-free meals a day!