Plastic Straw Rules

As of November 1, 2021, New York City food service establishments cannot provide:

Single-use plastic beverage straws, except upon request
Single-use plastic beverage splash sticks or stirrers

Food establishments include:

Restaurants
Cafes
Delis
Bars
Grocery stores
Food trucks

Food establishments may continue to provide:

Compostable beverage straws, splash sticks, and stirrers that are not made of plastic
Beverage straws that are made of compostable plastics (upon request only)

In addition, establishments must:

Maintain a sufficient supply of single-use plastic beverage straws that are not compostable and provide these for free to any person who requests one
Display a sign at self-serve stations that states: “Plastic straws available upon request.”

Learn more about the rules.

Food service establishments with self-serve stations must display a sign at each station that states: “Plastic straws available upon request.”

These signs must be:

Completely unobstructed
At least two inches by seven inches
Written in no less than 20-point font

Download a sample sign.

The plastic straw rules do not apply to:

Items that are packaged in bulk by a manufacturer and offered for retail sale
Beverage straws attached to individual containers by the manufacturer, such as juice boxes

Enforcement of the plastic straw rules began on November 1, 2022. Establishments violating the rules will receive fines for each Notice of Violation issued within a 12-month period.

Affected establishments should be prepared to receive inspectors, at least annually as part of routine inspections or 311 complaints, from one or more of the following agencies:

NYC Department of Sanitation
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection

Discrimination

Failing to provide a single-use plastic beverage straw that is not compostable to any person who requests one may also violate the City’s reasonable accommodations law. This is subject to enforcement by the NYC Commission on Human Rights.

Learn more about public accommodation discrimination complaints on the Discrimination page.

Report Establishment Violating Rules

Report an establishment:

Offering plastic straws without request or not providing plastic straws upon request.

Providing plastic stirrers or splash sticks.

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Knowledge Article

IP Address

Plastic Straw Rules

Signs

Exceptions

Enforcement and Complaints

Offering plastic straws without request or not providing plastic straws upon request.

Providing plastic stirrers or splash sticks.

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