Foodware Opt Out Ordinance to Come Back to Council

In an unusual move, the Pasadena City Council decided on Monday that the first reading of a previously-approved ordinance would be postponed.

The ordinance would require food service providers – including restaurants, bars, food trucks and convenience stores – to have customers affirmatively request for disposable accessory foodware items such as spoons, forks, knives, napkins, straws and other items before giving these out.

When the ordinance is in effect, Pasadenans will have a choice in opting out of receiving paper napkins, plastic knives, spoons, and forks when they order take-out or delivery food from local restaurants.

But instead of conducting the first reading on Monday the council decided it would come back with comparisons to similar ordinances in LA County, the city of Los Angeles and details about an education campaign.

The ordinance will add a chapter to Title 8 of the Pasadena Municipal Code and will require restaurants and other food service providers – including third-party delivery platforms – to provide disposable accessory foodware items only when the customer requests them.

The purpose of the ordinance is to regulate the dispensing of disposable accessory foodware items in order to reduce waste.

Anyone violating the ordinance, once it is in effect, may be punishable under the administrative citation procedures set forth in the Pasadena Municipal Code. Fines collected in accordance with the ordinance shall be deposited in the refuse fund to assist the Department of Public Works with the costs of implementing and enforcing ordinance requirements, the memorandum said.

According to the ordinance, third-party delivery platforms will be required to include an option in their app-based ordering process to allow customers to affirmatively request disposable accessory foodware items as a part of their delivery or takeout order.