By: Leslie Gunnett, Advisory Board Member
The nonprofit group Clean Water Action recently introduced a program called ReThink Disposable to decrease single-use plastic waste. They began local campaigns called Skip the Stuff, which require restaurants to only offer single-use cutlery and condiment packets upon request when customers order takeaway. This also requires only reusable food ware when dining in, so no disposable cutlery, plates, etc. if you eat in the establishment. This idea was introduced at the municipal level in New Jersey. It was also presented at the ANJEC Environmental Congress event in October of 2025, where representatives from each municipality’s environmental commissions meet to share ideas. This was my first experience with this program, and now it is becoming law!
In 2024, ten NJ towns passed ordinances requiring restaurants to “skip the stuff”, while seven other towns wove this plan into their plastic bag ban implementation. For a few years this was an optional idea that NJ towns were encouraged to adopt. In January of 2026, New Jersey passed “Skip the Stuff” legislation (S3195) to be implemented statewide by August 1, 2026.
This does not mean that food service businesses will no longer carry plastic cutlery or straws for their patrons. The bill stipulates that this is not a ban like the plastic bag ban passed a few years back. Businesses are still required to have these single-use plastic items available for patrons who ask for them. There are also exceptions to this bill, which include healthcare facilities and school cafeterias.
Beginning next month, your trip to the drive-thru may look a bit different as this law goes into effect. When ordering online, there may be new places to click to opt-in for condiments and cutlery rather than an opt-out button. When ordering in-person, you will have to ask for chopsticks, napkins, forks, etc.
So, what is this going to accomplish?
According to Clean Water Action’s website, about 40 billion single-use plastic utensils are discarded in the United States each year. Plastic is used for products like utensils because of its durability, but that also means that it really doesn’t break down. Plastic does not decompose; it breaks apart into smaller pieces called microplastics which end up in our waterways, our food, our drinks, our rain, our bodies…
We could get into a discussion here comparing single-use plastics to compostable and recyclable materials, but we’ll save that for another post! 😊
This bill is not an outright ban, but it will still drastically decrease our state’s single-use plastic waste. We don’t always need the extra condiments or utensils that are provided to us by food service businesses, and they always end up as waste.
Personally, when I order food online, I tend to write in the comments box “no utensils please” because I don’t need them if I am having food delivered to me. At one point I ended up with too many pairs of chopsticks, but rather than throwing them away, I used them as stakes to support my houseplants. I also save disposable napkins if I acquire some, because I only use cotton rags in my house for cleaning and sometimes a quick, disposable option is nice to have for something particularly messy, especially if that means using something I would have thrown away without using it at all. They also make great emergency napkins/tissues to keep in your car. To me, the best thing to do with a single-use plastic item if you have one is to find ways to reuse it rather than just throwing it in the trash.
With August just around the corner, it’ll be interesting to watch this bill go into effect. It can also inspire us to think about what other ways we can reduce plastic waste in our state!
Some of my favorite hacks for avoiding single-use plastics when it comes to food:
- Carry a small set of reusable utensils with me so I can refuse disposables
- Eat at restaurants in-person and make it an experience rather than aways getting takeout, which is guaranteed to have packaging waste
- Bring my own containers for leftovers when eating out (if you eat at Green Tea in Swedesboro, tell them the container girl says hi!)
- Carry a metal straw with me because I love an iced drink but hate cold teeth-metal straws are easy to wash and reuse forever and better sensory-wise than a paper straw
- If I end up with disposable cutlery or paper products, I hold onto them for a while and try to find a use for them rather than throwing them away immediately
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