Plastic Free Maui County

Plastic free

Maui County’s Plastic Disposable Foodware Ordinance No. 5084 went into effect on March 1, 2022, and the County’s Environmental Protection and Sustainability Division continues working with affected businesses and suppliers to help them transition toward non-plastic products.

Contact Us

  1. Environmental Protection & Sustainability Division

    Email: EPS Division

  1. When does the ban on disposable plastic foodware go into effect?
  2. What will be prohibited by this law?
  3. What kind of containers are banned?
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Plastic Disposable Foodware Ban
Ordinance No. 5084

Effective March 1, 2022, plastic disposable foodware will be banned for use, sale, or provision in Maui County. The ban will affect Maui County food providers that serve food or beverages in plastic disposable foodware after it has been ordered, as well as businesses that sell these items for use. Businesses will provide non-plastic products that are safer for the environment.

The Maui County EP & S Division is helping businesses affected by Ordinance No. 5084 to prepare. A number of businesses, such as those experiencing COVID-19 related shipping and supply delays, may apply for a temporary exemption. Exemption applications are provided by request via email at  [email protected].

Garbage Patch
Midway Atoll
Molokai Cleanup

County of Maui Legislation

What You Need to Know

  • Plastic disposable foodware shall not be sold, used, or provided by any "food provider", person, or business in Maui County, except by approved exemption.
  • Takeout and leftover food packaged after it has been ordered must be non-plastic.
  • Utensils and straws must be non-plastic and must be provided by request only.
  • Retail stores will no longer sell or provide plastic disposable foodware.
  • Food that has been "pre-packaged" in plastic containers before purchase or request is permissible, but is discouraged.
  • Polystyrene foam coolers are not allowed for use or sale.
  • Refer to Ordinance No. 5084 or Administrative Rules for details
  • Ord. No. 5084 Webinar - Chamber of Commerce Hawai'i - September 28, 2021

Policies

Notice to Businesses
Application for Exemption
  •      Businesses may apply for temporary exemptions due to:
         Exemption C: No Reasonable Alternatives available, and/or Shipping/Supply Delays.
         Exemption D: Financial Hardship

    Applications must be approved by the Director of Environmental Management and may take
    up to 12 weeks for evaluations.

    To request an Application for Exemption, please email [email protected].
  • Umbrella Exemption Policy for Wholesale Distributors

Better Choices Enhance the Health of Our Environment, Our Economy, and Ourselves

  • Reducing the use of plastic foodware protects marine and avian communities from harmful ingestion.
  • Reducing the use of plastic foodware protects people from ingesting micro-plastic through the food chain.
  • Reducing the use of plastic foodware helps mitigate our carbon footprint by lessening the need for fossil-fuels as a source material.
  • The production and degradation of single-use plastics contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Yale Climate Connections: How plastics contribute to climate change

An Important Step Toward a Circular Economy and Achieving Zero Waste in Hawaiʻi

BYO – Bring Your Own!     Reusable Foodware Kit

  • Choose to bring your own forks, spoons, knives, straws, cups, mugs, flasks, napkins, chopsticks, etc. whenever you can.
  • Plastic Alternatives include: stainless steel, glass, ceramics, cloth, wood products (e.g., bamboo, paper, koa, kou). 
  • Reuse is an important component of zero waste.
  • Oregon State University: Reusables Guide

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Media and Press

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