Go

REUSABLE FOODWARE

BACKGROUND
The City of Los Angeles is committed to increasing landfill diversion rates. This year, the City has launched the 2023 Reusable Foodware Microgrant Program to help advance our single-use plastic reduction initiative and to subsidize businesses in their transition to reusable foodware. This program focuses on small and medium businesses using single-use plastics or non-compostable foodware with dine-in operations, and pilots mobile food vendors and take-out operations. The administration of microgrants helps food service establishments transition from single-use disposable foodware to reusable foodware in the fight to conserve resources and prevent waste and ocean litter pollution.


PROGRAM REASONS
With increased food delivery and take-out items, current data shows foodware accessories are the fourth most commonly found items in the environment with containers as a close fifth. Single-use disposable plastic foodware accessories have a negative effect on the environment whether they are properly disposed of in the landfill or improperly disposed of as litter. These items are often contaminated and not economically feasible to recycle. This results in many single-use plastic disposable food service items such as straws, utensils, and condiment packets being thrown away, generating five million tons of waste every year. In a landfill, chemicals from these items can potentially be leached and contaminate the soil and groundwater. When littered, accessories enter the environment where they become visual blight on our streets and waterways, harming ecosystems and the wildlife that inhabit them. Littered plastics are transported from land to the ocean by wind or enter waterways and storm drain systems as runoff.


PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
This program helps Food Service Establishment's transition from a single-use to a reusable mindset through free technical assistance and microgrants. Other objectives of this program include:

• Distribute microgrants to businesses equitably and efficiently
• Reduce the trash and littering of single-use plastic foodware and accessories
• Help businesses comply with the Plastic Straws-On-Request and the Foodware Accessories On-Request Ordinances

HOW DO I APPLY
If you are interested in participating in the City of Los Angeles' Reusable Foodware Program, please fill out the interest form which can be found on the flyer's QR code, or view the form here: Reusable Foodware Google Interest Form. To read the Reusable Foodware Microgrant Program Flyer, click here.