Ordinance

Single-Use Foodware Ordinance Fact Sheet- English

Single-Use Foodware Ordinance Fact Sheet- Spanish

Enforcement: See a business out of compliance with these requirements? Send a message to Recycle@TownOfTruckee.gov.

For an overview of ordinance FAQs see the Keep Truckee Green Foodware Ordinance FAQs.

Para obtener un resumen de las preguntas frecuentes sobre las ordenanzas, consulte las Preguntas frecuentes sobre las ordenanzas de alimentos de Mantengamos Truckee Verde.

Ordinance Background

Community & Business Workshops: A business workshop was held in August 2019 to receive feedback on ideas to reduce the impact of waste. Over 14 food-service business representatives were in attendance. A community workshop was later held in October 2019 where over 65 community members were in attendance and shared community goals surrounding waste reduction.

Single-use Foodware Reduction Working Group: The working group was the steering committee that evaluated the policies in detail and developed recommendations to Town Council. This group included three business owners, two members of the public, two students, one environmental advocate, and two Truckee Town Council Members. The group’s goals included developing equitable and effective policies to reduce excess single-use foodware waste in our community.

Community Survey: Following the working group’s conclusion, staff conducted community outreach to receive feedback on the group’s recommendations. Over 480 survey responses were received providing feedback from community members and businesses. After considering the responses, staff presented the final recommendations and feedback to the Town Council for further consideration.

Cup and Container Fee

Businesses must charge a $0.25 customer fee on disposable cups and takeout food containers

AVOID FEES AND PREVENT WASTE: bring your own reusable cup or container, OR choose to dine in!

EFFECTIVE: January 1, 2024
WHO IT APPLIES TO: restaurants, food service establishments, coﬀee shops, bakeries, bars, drugstores, grocery stores

DOES NOT APPLY TO: food trucks or special events

Businesses keep the fee revenue
Customers on WIC, EBT, or Medi-Cal are exempt from the fee
Fee does not apply to pizza boxes or containers provided for leftovers when dining-in
Customers can provide their own reusable cup or takeout container to avoid the fee.
Food vendors must follow Health and Safety Code requirements to prevent cross-contamination.

Businesses are required to follow California Health and Safety Codes to prevent contamination from customer-provided containers, including keeping customer-provided containers separate from the food facility’s foodware and avoiding contact between customer-provided foodware and surfaces or utensils used for food dispensing. Food establishments have the authority to not accept customer-provided foodware that appears cracked, chipped, is the wrong size, or is unsanitary. In that situation, the customer can take a disposable container and pay the $0.25 fee or choose to dine-in using reusable foodware provided by the restaurant.

In-House Reusable Foodware

Food vendors must provide reusable foodware for customers dining in

EFFECTIVE: January 1, 2024

WHO IT APPLIES TO: restaurants, food service establishments, coﬀee shops, bakeries, bars

DOES NOT APPLY TO: (1) food trucks or special events; (2) disposable paper food wrappers, aluminum foil food wrappers, paper napkins, straws, paper tray or plate liners, non-plastic stirrers, cocktail sticks, and toothpicks, or pre-packaged food packaged outside the food facility

New restaurants or other food service establishments seeking a permit from the Town must demonstrate ability to comply with adequate dishwashing capacity
Exemption Request Form is available HERE: Businesses can apply for a one-year hardship exemption due to hardships reaching compliance

Town grant to purchase reusable foodware and dishwashing equipment closed March 2024.

Foam Ban

A ban on the sale and distribution of polystyrene foam (e.g. Styrofoam)

EFFECTIVE: April 1, 2023

WHO IT APPLIES TO: all businesses or people, including restaurants, retail stores, and food vendors

DOES NOT APPLY TO: (1) food packaged outside of Truckee, except for egg cartons, and trays for meat, ﬁsh, fruit, or vegetables; (2) polystyrene foam products encased in a more durable material (e.g. polystyrene foam ice chests encased in a rigid plastic)

Town grant funding to transition to non-polystyrene foam alternatives closed in June 2023.

Hardship Waivers

Each application for a hardship exemption shall provide evidence of the conditions which make it impossible for the food vendor to comply with the requirement, such as insurmountable space constraints, undue financial hardship and/or other extraordinary, insurmountable circumstances.

Waivers are valid for no more than one year from date of issue. Food facilities must reapply to extend the waiver an additional year.

Exemption Request