Polystyrene and Food Service Ware Information

Business Owners - Are you "Good To Go"?

Waste Reduction Staff is available to answer your questions and is here to help you incorporate strategies for compliance. Please don't hesitate to call our office at 831-420-5591.

Vendor Information

• List of Vendors selling compliant items(PDF, 113KB)
• World Centric Products Exclusive Sell Sheet just for Santa Cruz(PDF, 12MB)
• ECO PRODUCTS - Exclusive Sell Sheet for Santa Cruz(PDF, 474KB)
• Apply for a 90 Day Waiver for the Service Ware Portion Only. Note: Blanket Waivers will not be granted. Requests must accompany documentation from the Vendor that item is currently un available.

Other Resources

• FAQ of common questions(PDF, 555KB)
• Full adopted ordinance(PDF, 102KB)
• Check out the recording of the Webinar held on May 6th, 2021 (Recording available in Spanish / Grabación disponible en Español) - Topics discussed, the changes to the 2017 version of the Environmentally Acceptable Packaging and Products Ordinance, implementing protocols to allow customers to return to bringing in their own cups for fill, the cost savings of switching to durables for dine in and finally, vendors were on hand to answer questions about ordering and pricing of compliant items.
• Quick Guide Brochure(PDF, 4MB)

Customer Owned Cups/Containers

Allowing customers to use clean and reusable personal cups and containers saves money

• Reduces cost and need for inventory of disposables
• Is a good way to reduce litter
• Can be done safely. Check out the Contactless Coffee Campaign as an example.

Recent legislation (AB619) Clarifies the conditions in which a business can accept and fill a customer owned cup and/or container.

This new law allows consumers to bring reusable containers to a food facility to be filled, provided certain conditions are met. Clean consumer-owned containers may be filled by an employee or the customer provided the food facility meets three requirements:

1. Consumer-owned containers must be isolated from the serving surface or the surface must be sanitized after each filling.
2. Food facility is required to prepare, maintain and adhere to written procedures that addresses cross-contamination prevention and waste water disposal.
3. Food facility shall ensure compliance with handwashing requirements specified in California Retail Food Code (CRFC).

Waste reduction staff can offer guidance on creating written procedures utilizing publicly available information.

Polystyrene Products: EPS #6

(Expanded Polystyrene)

The Sale or distribution of cups, plates, bowls, food boxes, coolers and non encased recreational water toys (boogie boards) is prohibited in the City of Santa Cruz.

Packing Peanuts: Polystyrene packing peanuts are not accepted for recycling and should be contained in a bag and placed in the trash. Note: The UPS stores no longer accepts any type of packing peanuts from the public for reuse. The company made an environmental decision to discontinue the use on packing peanuts at all locations throughout the U.S. They do accept bubble wrap and other packing material.

Disposable Service Ware

Consumers can help reduce the waste and litter associated with disposable service ware.

• Skip the stuff - It is estimated that 561 billion disposable food ware items are used and disposed of annually, resulting in a whopping 4.9 million tons of waste. Unused food accessories including utensils, straws, napkins, condiment packages, clog landfills, complicate recycling, and pollute streets and waterways in our communities. Ordinance Compliant businesses will ask you first if you want all that stuff, but being proactive by saying No Thank you to items you don't need like; straws, utensils and condiment packets will help to change behavior and make a real impact on reducing waste. Upon request is now a State Mandate as outlined in AB1276
• Ask to have your own clean reusable cup filled. Please note, businesses are not required to accept your cup or container, ensuring that it is clean will increase the likelihood they will fill it.
• Let us know of businesses that are not in compliance so we can educate them on why it is important to comply.
• Carry your own reusable utensils, straw and cloth napkin when eating on the go. Don't forget to bring a reusable container for leftovers when finished with your "Dine in" meal.