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Skip The Stuff
Reusable New England's first campaign is #SkipTheStuff, with the goal of replicating Los Angeles and New York's success in passing legislation to reduce single-use waste in foodware. Reusable New England drafted MA Bill HD.3422 (An Act to "Skip the Stuff" to Reduce Restaurant Waste) and is developing campaigns to help it's approval, adoption and implementation. The bill was proposed by Rep Michelle L. Ciccolo to the 193rd General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. A link to the bill is included below and a summary of SkipTheStuff is further down on the page.
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Skip The Stuff
Summary
Skip The Stuff requires that food establishments only give single-use foodware upon request by customers. Specifically it seeks to limit the waste associated with unused cutlery, condiments, plates, napkins, etc, while still giving customers the option to get these goods should they need it.
Why You Should Support:
This bill is drafted to support all stake-holders in MA. The bill is intended to: reduce litter, reduce waste, avoid harmful chemicals, support consumers, aid businesses and restore nature.
Reduces Litter
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Food and beverage packaging is the largest contributor to litter in MA
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US local governments spend $1B annually on managing litter waste​
Pro-Consumer
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The bill still allows for customers to get single-use foodware items, but only upon request
Less Waste
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Food and beverage packaging is a significant contributor to the waste stream
Pro-Business
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US restaurants spend $19B on disposable items​ many of which go unused
Avoids Chemicals
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Many food packaging materials contain harmful poly and perfluoroalkyl chemicals 10 that are linked to serious health impacts.
Pro-Environment
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36 billion single-use utensils are used every year in the United States​
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Americans use 142 billion straws per year
Key Points
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“Single-Use Condiment” means relishes, spices, sauces, confections, or seasonings that require no additional preparation and that are usually used on a food item after preparation, including ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, soy sauce, hot sauce, salsa, salt, pepper, sugar, and sugar substitutes or others as determined by the Department that are designed for single-use
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“Single-Use Food Serviceware” means all types of items provided by food service providers in relation to the consumption and enjoyment of food or beverages, including, but not limited to, forks, spoons, knives, napkins, straws, stirrers, cocktail sticks, splash sticks, toothpicks, wet-wipes, cup lids, cup sleeves, beverage trays, and unfilled cups, plates, and take out containers that are designed for single-use.
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The bill reduces unnecessary restaurants spending. Cafes, restaurants, and food establishments have the potential to save up to $10k annually by decreasing spending on napkins, condiments, chopsticks, forks, knives, spoons, straws, creamers, etc. A preliminary downloadable model outlining the business costs savings is linked below in the green excel button.​
Get Involved
There are many ways to get involved with #SkipTheStuff including: following our campaign, getting involved in our organization, spreading the message and recruiting legislators and local businesses. Please bear with us as we build out this section with more actionable steps.
