Plastic Cutlery Could Be Banned In NYC Eateries If Bill Passes

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK -- Plastic forks, knives and spoons could be banned in New York City restaurants if a Brooklyn City Councilman's proposed bill passes.

Bushwick and Bed-Stuy representative Rafael Espinal proposed legislation Wednesday to study alternatives to single-use plastics and ban them if a reasonable alternative can be found, city records show.

The bill would require the Department of Consumer Affairs to work with other city agencies — the Department of Sanitation, the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Health— to find a more eco-friendly alternative for spearing take-out.

Espinal, currently running for Public Advocate, also proposed the city's plastic straw ban in May 2018, Eater reported at the time.

Eater was first to report on Espinal's most recent plastics bill and noted the "reasonable alternative" clause could add years onto a potential ban's timeline.

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