"Compostable" means all the materials in the product will break down, or otherwise become a part of usable compost in a safe and timely manner.
Compostable disposable food service ware must meet ASTM standards for compostability.
"Recyclable" means any material that is accepted by the City or special district recycling program. What Goes Where can provide guidance on which products and materials are recyclable.
AB 1276: Single-Use Foodware Accessories & Condiments Upon Request OnlyEffective June 1st, 2022, state law AB 1276 prohibits food facilities and third-party food delivery platforms from providing any single-use foodware accessory or standard condiment to a customer unless requested. Single-use foodware accessories include (but are not limited to): forks, knives, spoons, sporks, chopsticks, condiment cups and packets, straws, stirrers, splash sticks, and cocktail sticks. Standard condiments include (but are not limited to): ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, soy sauce, hot sauce, salsa, salt, pepper, sugar, and sugar substitutes.
- Food facilities may ask drive-thru or walk-thru customers if they would like a single-use foodware accessory or condiment.
- Food facilities using third-party food delivery platforms must list on their menu the availability of single-use foodware accessories and standard condiments and provide those items when requested only.
- Prohibits applicable items from being bundled or packaged in a way that prohibits the consumer from taking only the item desired, and encourages use of bulk and refillable dispensers.
Please see the California Department of Public Health AB 1276 Fact Sheet for details.
Use of Polystyrene (Styrofoam) for Takeout Prohibited in MontereyOn February 3rd, 2009 the City of Monterey successfully adopted an ordinance that prohibits the use of polystyrene materials to be used for takeout food applications within city limits. The City of Monterey has seen first-hand the impact of polystyrene foam and plastic litter in storm drains, in fields, on roadways and highways, in rivers, in the ocean and on our beaches.
Banning polystyrene foam takeout packaging locally will help to address marine pollution by requiring the use of environmentally preferable alternatives, while helping to educate business owners and citizens on the positive impact their packaging choices can make. Unlike many other types of packaging, once in the environment, polystyrene foam remains there permanently where it breaks into tiny pieces that disperse widely.
A ban may not be a cure-all, but it is a step in the right direction. We want to get people thinking about the far-reaching consequences resulting from simple decisions made everyday. We want people to consider the life cycle of the products they are buying - what they are made from, the energy that goes into the production and what happens after the garbage truck hauls them away.
Looking for information on the City of Monterey's plastic bag ordinance? See the Choose to Reuse Single Use Carry Out Bags page.