Union City to ban plastic straws starting in 2020
About 200 businesses will be affected by the new rules
UNION CITY >> Plastic straws will no longer be welcome in Union City beginning next year.
The City Council voted unanimously Monday night to adopt an ordinance that bans single-use plastic straws at restaurants, cafes, tea shops and all other food businesses, in an effort to reduce litter in the city and cut down on plastics getting into waterways.
The council also voted to require that food businesses hand out “disposable food ware accessories” like utensils and condiment cups only when requested by customers or at self-serve stations.
The new rules will go into effect Jan. 1, 2020, but the city will allow for a “grace period” through July 1, 2020, to give businesses time to make the switch to compostable straws and to use up any single-use plastic ones they have left, city reports said.
About 200 businesses in the city are affected by the new rules, and city staff members are in the process of meeting with each business in person to discuss the changes, reports said.
The main concern business owners have about the change in rules is the increased cost to switch from single-use plastic to compostable fiber straws.
“Even with advancing technology, compostable straws typically cost more than plastic straws,” staff reports said.
Plastic straws cost about one-third of a cent and paper straws usually cost two to three cents each, though the cost gap is narrowing as more communities switch to banning plastic straws, driving up supply and demand, staff reports said.
The cost for businesses selling bubble tea or boba tea products could be higher, though, as the drinks usually require a wider straw, which cost on average five to eight cents each, and there are currently less compostable straw options on the market for those sizes, staff reports said.
Ricky Kong, a manager at Caffe:in — a bubble tea, food and dessert shop in Union City — said he understands the positive aspects of reducing plastic waste, but is concerned about the added cost.
He said the shop might consider nixing straws altogether, and asking customers to bring their own reusable ones, but he’s also concerned about inconveniencing customers.
While most businesses surveyed by the city supported the changes, they noted that their customers tend to prefer plastic straws, and food providers are “worried compostable paper straws will not hold up in their beverage product…making them soggy,” staff reports said.
Kong said how well the straws hold up will also be a major concern for him. Ultimately, if he chooses to switch to stocking compostable straws at the shop, “people will get used to it, but it’s going to take some time,” he said.
Adam Zhang, of San Jose, said when he gets iced drinks at places with paper straws, he has to take multiple straws so he can switch in a fresh one when it inevitably gets soggy.
Sam Roberson, of Pinole, was having a boba drink with a plastic straw at Caffe:in on Monday night, and said he’s not sure how boba shops will overcome the challenge of compostable straws.
“I have to gulp my drink down within a few minutes” when using paper straws, he said. “It ruins the experience.”
The city’s rules allow businesses to continue distributing plastic straws “as an accommodation to people with disabilities or medical conditions who request them to enjoy equal access to food and beverage services,” staff reports said, however, it’s unclear how many businesses will choose to keep two kinds of straws on hand.
Also, though often made of plastic, drive-throughs and food delivery services may still include lids and spill plugs, as well as paper cup sleeves, without request.
Enforcement of the new rules after July 1, 2020, will be complaint driven, staff reports said.
If a business is found to be violating the rules, staff said the city’s goal would be to help them “identify suitable alternative products and make effective operational changes as opposed to issuing fines.”
Union City’s rules will build on a state law that went into effect at the beginning of this year that prohibits full-service restaurants from automatically handing out plastic straws unless requested by the customer.
When the changes go into effect, Union City will join more than a dozen California cities that have adopted some form of straw restrictions, including Alameda, Richmond, Santa Cruz, and San Francisco in the Bay Area.