Disposable Food Service Ware Ordinance
The County of San Mateo’s (County) Disposable Food Service Ware Ordinance (Ordinance) was adopted by the County’s Board of Supervisors on February 25, 2020. This new law regulates and reduces disposable food service ware made of plastic and other foodware waste. The new regulations apply to food facilities that operate in unincorporated areas of the county and in cities that adopt the County’s Ordinance as a model ordinance. The County’s Foodware Aware Team is here to help your facility make the transition away from plastics and reduce foodware waste! We also encourage our public to join and play an important role in this effort.
COUNTYWIDE EFFORT
Food facilities that operate in unincorporated areas of the County and within cities that adopt the County’s Ordinance will have to comply by the enforcement dates listed below.
Disposable Food Service Ware Ordinance Information by Jurisdiction
| Jurisdiction with Link to Ordinance Webpage | Date Ordinance Adopted | Enforcement Start Date | Requirements that Differ from the County's Model Ordinance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | City of Half Moon Bay | October 6, 2020 | June 1, 2023: Reusables requirement July 9, 2021: All other ordinance requirements | (1) Accessories such as straws, stirrers, cup spill plugs, condiment packets, utensils, napkins, etc. shall be provided only when requested by the consumer (dispensers and self-serve areas not allowed). (2) Starting on 6/1/23, food facilities must use reusable foodware for dine-in, except for straws, stirrers, cocktail sticks/picks, toothpicks, napkins, wrappers, and liners so long as they are fiber-based, compostable. |
| 2 | County of San Mateo (unincorporated areas only) | February 25, 2020 | October 1, 2022 (previously March 25, 2022) | |
| 3 | City of South San Francisco | March 25, 2020 | October 1, 2022 (previously March 25, 2022) | |
| 4 | City of Burlingame | May 4, 2020 | October 1, 2022 (previously March 25, 2022) | |
| 5 | Town of Atherton | June 17, 2020 | October 1, 2022 (previously March 25, 2022) | |
| 6 | City of Belmont | November 25, 2020 | October 1, 2022 (previously March 25, 2022) | |
| 7 | City of Millbrae | February 23, 2021 | October 1, 2022 (previously March 25, 2022) | |
| 8 | City of Brisbane | April 15, 2021 | October 1, 2022 (previously March 25, 2022) | |
| 9 | Town of Colma | July 14, 2021 | October 1, 2022 (previously March 25, 2022) | |
| 10 | Town of Hillsborough | September 13, 2021 | October 1, 2022 (previously March 25, 2022) | |
| 11 | City of San Mateo | February 1, 2021 | October 1, 2022 | |
| 12 | City of Daly City | September 13, 2021 | October 1, 2022 | Wherever practicable, food facilities shall provide reusable foodware in place of disposable foodware. |
| 13 | City of San Bruno | September 14, 2021 | October 1, 2022 | |
| 14 | City of San Carlos | October 25, 2021 | October 1, 2022 | |
| 15 | City of Pacifica | March 14, 2022 | June 1, 2023: Reusables requirement October 1, 2022: All other ordinance requirements | Starting on 6/1/23, food facilities must use reusable foodware for dine-in, except for straws, stirrers, cocktail sticks/picks, toothpicks, napkins, wrappers, and liners so long as they are fiber-based, compostable. |
| 16 | City of Foster City | October 11, 2011 (City adopted County's polystyrene ban ordinance by reference in 2011, which was then automatically replaced with current County foodware ordinance) | October 1, 2022 | |
| 17 | City of Redwood City | October 24, 2022 | October 24, 2023 |
Current as of February 13, 2023. The above table will continue to be updated!
