Source Reduction

LA Sanitation and Environment’s (LASAN) Comprehensive Plastics Reduction Program aims to reduce the use of single-use or disposable plastic in the City of Los Angeles. Plastic goods are ubiquitous in our everyday lives, as the material is used in many products, including packaging, that consumers purchase and use every day.

The successful resale of recyclable material is heavily dependent on market demand, and currently certain plastics do not have markets to incentivize the collection and recovery of these materials. As a consequence, an abundance of plastic waste ends up in our landfills and/or pollutes our environment, affecting our environment and public health.

  • In 2021, food wrappers were the second most collected item during beach clean-ups conducted by the International Coastal Cleanup in California.
  • In 2021, over 380,000 pounds of trash were collected as part of the International Coastal Cleanup Project in California.
In response, LASAN and the City of Los Angeles must transition from waste disposal to waste prevention, which means reducing waste at its source, and move towards a circular economy. The most effective way to do that is to prevent the introduction and usage of nonrecyclable items. The efforts of the Comprehensive Plastics Reduction Program in reducing plastics entering Los Angeles’ waste stream are critical to reducing environmental and health impacts, and long-term waste management.

The City is committed to reducing plastic waste at its source, as demonstrated in these ordinances:

Reusable Foodware Microgrant 425x260
This program will provide LA-based food service providers with direct assistance and micro-grant funding to transition to reusable foodware.More about Reusable Foodware Microgrant
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EPS is harmful to our environment. View the ordinance and product alternatives here.More about Expanded Polystyrene Ordinance
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To help reduce waste and pollution, the City of Los Angeles banned single-use carryout bags at certain retailers in the City.More about Single-Use Carryout Bags
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The City of Los Angeles is leading by example when it comes to supporting its goal of zero waste by 2050.
More about Zero Waste At City Facilities & Events
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If you have a food and/or beverage establishment in LA, please read about the City's Foodware-On-Request ordinance and how it applies to your business.More about Foodware Accessories-On-Request Ordinance
Plastic Straw Ban
If you have a food and/or beverage establishment in LA, you’ll want to read about the City's Straws-on-Request ordinance.More about Plastic Straws-on-Request Ordinance