A coalition of New York City council members has introduced a bill that would make it mandatory for restaurants to offer customers the option of bringing their own reusable containers.
New York City generates 14 million tons of garbage annually, with over 23 billion being single-use food service items. Marjorie Velázquez, Keith Powers, Erik Bottcher, and Sandy Nurse, along with Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, have launched a campaign called “Choose to Reuse.”
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The proposed legislation would require fast food chains controlled by corporations to offer customers recyclable and reusable food packaging that can be returned, cleaned, and used again. Reusable packaging cuts carbon emissions by about 85 percent compared to one-time-use options.
Major Shifts in the Restaurant and Food Service Sector
Companies like Deliver Zero make reusable containers that are used by local shops and restaurants all across the five boroughs. According to founder Lauren Sweeney, significant shifts are possible if large corporations embrace the concept.
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Some restaurants in the city currently provide the option of reusable packagings, such as Blue Park Restaurant in Midtown and Raiz in the East Village. As soon as Nick Johnson launched Raiz, he incorporated Deliver Zero into the decor. He said that the reception from customers has been positive.
Costly $100 Penalty
If everyone did it, Johnson said, there would be a lot of places to return it to. “That’s a fantastic idea. The procedure would be more efficient, and I would have less concern about the products entering and leaving the building.
The Choose to Reuse initiative, should it pass, might set a precedent for other municipalities to follow.
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If the legislation is approved, restaurants that do not offer reusable options will be fined $100 for the first penalty, $200 for the second, and so on for each subsequent transgression.
