SB 51 MAKES STRAWS BY REQUEST AS OF 7/1/25
Senate Bill 51 Signed into Law
Plastic Free Delaware has been working to reduce the use of single-use plastic straws by restaurants and food vendors, and is building support for legislation which would restrict its use in dining establishments.
In February 2023, SB 51 was introduced by Senator Trey Paradee and Representative Paul Baumbach in the Delaware General Assembly. It passed both the House and the Senate and was signed into law by Governor Carney. The bill addressed plastic straws (making them available by request only), single-use plastic picks, and expanded polystyrene foam. It takes effect for Delaware dining establishments on July 1, 2025.
DELAWARE LEGISLATURE FIRST TOOK ACTION ON STRAWS IN 2019
March 27, 2019 Delaware's House & Senate pass House Concurrent Resolution 17
HCR17 recognizes the issues of plastic pollution and the role of plastic straws, and requires the Delaware Restaurant Association to report back by May 1, 2020 on voluntary efforts its members have taken to curb plastic pollution.
Sabin Lowe, a Plastic Free Delaware Board member and co-chair of the Newark Charter School Marine Science Club provided testimony before both the House and Senate in support of HCR17. Extra special thanks to Rep. Paul Baumbach, Rep. Valerie Longhurst, and Sen. Trey Paradee for their leadership on this effort.
Data from Delaware
Along Delaware's coastlines, plastic straws are one of the most prevalent and pervasive types of litter found annually during the Coastal Cleanup which is only three hours in September once a year. Despite more than one hundred restaurants joining the plastic-straws-by-request-only movement, the number of straws found during the 2018 Coastal Cleanup actually INCREASED 50% to more than 2,800!
Plastic Straw Initiative
Plastic Free Delaware has launched an outreach initiative to diners and dining establishments alike. Diners can request "no straw please," and PFD encourages restaurants to give straws only when requested, and we hope that those that are distributed will be biodegradable.
Delaware Diners Deputized
When dining out, be sure to relay to your server, "no straw please." If you forget, and one appears, use it as a conversation starter to ask the establishment to switch to a straws-by-request-only (biodegradable please) approach only. You can refer them to this site, and the materials below to provide more information.
What's not to love?
Restaurants can:
- save money by buying far fewer straws
- decrease plumbing call costs
- open up precious storage space
- and save the environment!
Our Straw Initiative Partners
