By Daniel Perez-Crouse
Oregon residents looking to reduce their waste with an alternative to one-time use to-go containers when bringing leftovers home from restaurants, and possibly their entire meal, now can. The change is made possible thanks to a bill that instructs the Oregon Health Authority to update health codes and allow for a customer to use their reusable containers.
This results from SB 545 and takes effect beginning June 30. As stated in its text, the bill, “Directs State Department of Agriculture and Oregon Health Authority to adopt rules allowing consumers to use own containers for refilling with food at food establishment. Directs department and authority to adopt rules allowing food establishments to reuse take-home food containers returned to restaurant by consumer.”
This bill came in conjunction with SB 543—which will phase out polystyrene foam food-ware, packing peanuts and other materials. This is an overall effort to reduce waste and public health impacts of single-use and plastic wares in Oregon. Both were signed by Governor Tina Kotek last year. It also comes not long after the Oregon Department of Agriculture adopted new rules enabling grocery stores, small co-ops and other retail establishments to offer sanitary reusable containers and refill systems.
When Senator Janeen Sollman, (D-Hillsboro), introduced SB 545, she said that she’d held a listening session with 42 businesses who wanted these health code changes and were frustrated they weren’t allowed to put safe systems into place that would allow them to accept customer containers.
However, the degree to which restaurants and other food establishments will be comfortable doing so and how they go about it is up to their discretion. There’s nothing in the health code changes that mandates restaurants to allow for this and Sollman herself acknowledged that when introducing the bill. Some restaurants may not even know this change is happening. Therefore, it might be worth contacting restaurants customers want to bring containers to in advance to know their comfort levels and processes.
Adam, owner of A Taste of Casablanca, on SE Tacoma St., said he was aware of the changes coming and would be okay with customers bringing their containers. However, he said that customers would have to bring “clean” containers and that he wouldn’t handle what appear to be dirty ones.
Orcaio Hernandez, owner of Birrieria La Plaza on SE Division St., wasn’t initially aware of the health code changes at the time of being asked, but had no problem with it and felt it would be good for the environment. He also said it, “could be beneficial for the small businesses. If it does take off and everyone ends up using their own containers, then for small businesses it’s one less thing to worry about as far as inventory.”
Beyond just the space and inventory factors, Hernandez said it could save money without the need to purchase what can be costly to-go containers. This was something Sollman referenced when introducing the bill, saying, “$24 billion is spent by restaurants and food service businesses on disposables each year in the US.”
Time will tell how this is messaged out to the public and restaurants. In the meantime, restaurants and consumers can now legally engage in using reusable containers to minimize waste, save money and support the state’s environmental goals.