York Voters Approve Maine’s First Ban on Single-Use Plastic Utensils

York has become the first town in Maine to ban single-use plastic utensils after more than 58 percent of residents voted in favor of a proposal originally advanced by the York High School Eco Club.

The regulations approved by voters Saturday are set to take effect in May of 2025.

Under this ordinance, plastic straws, stir sticks, and utensils are prohibited from being offered or distributed by stores, restaurants, coffee shops, cafeterias, caterers, food delivery services, or at Town sponsored events.

This newly-approved ordinance requires that reusable products be offered when dishwashing facilities are accessible.

When “reusables” are unavailable or impractical — such as for takeout orders — “third party certified compostable foodware” may be provided.

Health care facilities are exempt from these requirements, but according to the language of the ordinance, they are “encouraged to comply.”

Violations of these regulations can result in fines ranging from $100 to $500 depending upon whether it is a first, second, or subsequent offense.

Separate fines may be imposed for each day that a violation is deemed to have occurred.

Any notice of violation may be appealed to the Board of Appeals within thirty days of action being taken.

2,192 residents voted Saturday in support of the new ordinance, while 1,556 voted in opposition.

Click Here to Read the Full Text of the New Ordinance

The original version of this proposal drafted by the students of York High School’s Eco Club would have also banned businesses from selling or offering single-use plastic cups.

The ordinance was amended, however, after local business owners raised concerns about the cost associated with offering suitable alternatives and the consequences of incentivizing customers to bring their own reusable cups.

[RELATED: York Considering One of Nation’s Most Restrictive Bans on Single-Use Plastics as Proposed by York High School Eco Club]

This is not the first time that York has been at the forefront of an effort to make environmentally-minded changes to municipal-level public policy.

In 2015, York became the first town in Maine to ban plastic grocery bags and went on to prohibit the use of polystyrene foam food containers in 2019.

Portland has also spearheaded the passage of climate-related policies, becoming the first locality in the state to ban plastic drinking straws and stir sticks after enacting an ordinance that took effect in 2021.

Earlier this year, the Environmental and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee in Augusta rejected a proposal to ban the purchase and sale of single-use plastic water bottles by state and municipal governments at the request of its sponsor.

[RELATED: Committee Rejects Targeted Bans on Single-Use Plastic Water Bottles and Mandated Installations of Free Water Refill Stations At Sponsor’s Request]

LD 1418 — An Act Concerning Single-use Disposable Water Bottles and Water Refill Stations — was introduced by Rep. Lori K. Gramlich (D-Old Orchard Beach) during the Legislature’s first session and carried over into 2024 for further consideration.

Rep. Gramlich, however, asked the ENR Committee in March to vote against the bill, as she felt that there would not be enough time to adequately develop the legislation before adjournment.