NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — The New York City Council on Wednesday approved legislation to dramatically limit the amount of single-use plastic straws available at eateries in the five boroughs.
Under the bill, restaurants, bars, cafes and other eateries across the city will no longer be allowed to provide a single-use plastic straw unless a customer specifically requests one.
The bill allowed for customers to request straws in order to accommodate people with disabilities. If a customer does ask for one, the business must provide them with a straw, no questions asked and free of charge.
The legislation also completely bans food establishments from using single-use plastic stirrers and so-called “splash sticks” of any kind.
Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal, who sponsored the legislation, said the City Council’s approval is an important step to help curb the amount of plastic waste polluting Earth’s oceans and beaches.
“Plastic waste is gravely polluting our oceans and waterways, threatening the health of wildlife and humans alike. This includes millions upon millions of straws, and limiting their use is a simple but very important step,” she said in a statement.
Rosenthal did acknowledge, prior to the vote, that some plastic products do help thousands of disabled Americans and said the disability community “worked closely with environmentalists, the restaurant industry, and the City Council to ensure that the legislation being voted on today protects the rights of all New Yorkers.”
The plastic straw ban will follow in the footsteps of the state-wide single-use plastic bag ban, which went into effect March 2020.
Mayor Bill de Blasio is expected to sign the newly approved legislation and the change will take effect Nov. 1, 2021.