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Environmental groups press Legislature to approve 'Skip the Stuff' opt‑in for takeout utensils
Summary
Surfrider Foundation and other local environmental groups urged the Legislature to adopt an opt‑in rule for takeout utensils and condiments, saying the measure reduces waste by changing the restaurant default rather than banning items outright.
Environmental and civic groups urged the Suffolk County Legislature to adopt an opt‑in policy for single‑use cutlery and other takeout accessories, commonly called "Skip the Stuff," arguing the change would reduce plastic waste without eliminating customer choice.
"Skip‑the‑stuff is not a ban, it is a change in habit," Jenna Schwerzmann of Surfrider told the Legislature during a public hearing. She and other speakers emphasized the precedent of Suffolk's earlier plastic‑bag law and noted measures reduced plastic debris in local cleanups.
Speakers described visible pollution on beaches and argued a default opt‑out practice — where restaurants supply utensils only when requested — reduces the thousand‑fold volume of single‑use items that otherwise accumulate. Setauket Harbor Task Force and Surfrider volunteers recounted beach cleanups in which disposable cutlery and food packaging were among the most common items. Proponents also urged a countywide public information campaign and business outreach to make the transition operationally simple and avoid unnecessary compliance burdens.
Next steps: The hearing record was closed; the bill proceeds through committee. Advocates asked legislators to couple the ordinance with education and reasonable compliance timelines for small food businesses.
