NY State Senate Bill 2021-S4880

Senate Bill S4880

2021-2022 Legislative Session

Relates to requiring food service establishments to permit the use of reusable beverage and food containers provided by customers

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Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Health Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 05, 2022	referred to health
Feb 17, 2021	referred to health

co-Sponsors

2021-S4880 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A3052
Current Committee:: Senate Health
Law Section:: Public Health Law
Laws Affected:: Add §1352-f, Pub Health L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: S6813, A8722
2023-2024: S2079, A4673

2021-S4880 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires food service establishments to permit the use of reusable beverage and food containers provided by customers when requesting a beverage refill or requesting leftovers from a partially consumed meal to be packaged and post signs to inform customers that they are permitted to do so.

2021-S4880 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S4880

SPONSOR: KAVANAGH
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring food
service establishments to permit the use of reusable beverage and food
containers provided by customers

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

An act to amend the public health law, in relation to requiring food
service establishments to permit the use of reusable beverage containers
provided by customers

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 names this this bill the "Right to Refill Act."

Section 2 amends the public health law to add new section 1352-f.

Section 1352-f is amended to (1) define "food service establishment,"
"reusable beverage container," and "single-use;" (2) set requirements
for food service establishments in the state that serve beverages in
single-use containers; and (3) provide for notification and signage
requirements for food service establishments.

Section 3 sets forth the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The proliferation of single-use plastics has continued to degrade the
environment in New York and ecosystems around the world. In the United
States alone, Americans discard more than 60 million single-use plastic
water bottles a day. While the NYS Department of Health has determined
that there is no prohibition on food service restaurants utilizing
customer's reusable bottles for sanitary reasons, many New Yorkers are
unclear on what their rights are when it comes to using reusable
containers.

This legislation sets standards that will clarify that consumer have an
unambiguous right to fill reusable containers instead of opting for
single use containers.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2019-20: S.6813/A8722 (Metzger / Fahy) - Reported from Health

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a law

2021-S4880 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4880
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 17, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. KAVANAGH -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the public health law, in  relation  to  requiring  food
   service establishments to permit the use of reusable beverage and food
   containers provided by customers

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Short title. This act shall be known and may  be  cited  as
 the "right to refill act".
   §  2.  The public health law is amended by adding a new section 1352-f
 to read as follows:
   § 1352-F. REUSABLE BEVERAGE AND FOOD CONTAINERS PROVIDED BY CUSTOMERS.
 1. DEFINITIONS. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS  SHALL
 HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
   A.  "FOOD  SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT" SHALL MEAN A PUBLIC PLACE ENGAGED IN
 THE PREPARATION AND SERVICE ON THE PREMISES OF FOOD AND TO  THE  GENERAL
 PUBLIC.
   B.  "REUSABLE  BEVERAGE  CONTAINER"  SHALL  MEAN A BOTTLE, MUG, CUP OR
 OTHER CONTAINER THAT IS DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED TO HOLD BEVERAGES  AND
 IS CAPABLE OF MULTIPLE REUSE.
   C.  "SINGLE-USE" SHALL MEAN A PRODUCT THAT IS DESIGNED AND INTENDED TO
 BE USED ONLY ONCE FOR DRINKING OR EATING, AND IS GENERALLY RECOGNIZED BY
 THE PUBLIC AS AN ITEM THAT IS TO BE DISCARDED AFTER ONE USE.
   D. "DISPOSABLE FOOD SERVICE  CONTAINER"  SHALL  MEAN  ALL  CONTAINERS,
 BOWLS,  PLATES,  TRAYS,  CARTONS,  CUPS,  LIDS  AND OTHER ITEMS THAT ARE
 DESIGNED OR GENERALLY RECOGNIZED BY THE PUBLIC  AS  BEING  DESIGNED  FOR
 SINGLE-USE  TO  HOLD,  CONTAIN,  OR  TRANSPORT  FOODS, INCLUDING BUT NOT
 LIMITED TO, CONTAINERS  FOR  LEFTOVERS  FROM  PARTIALLY  CONSUMED  MEALS
 PREPARED  BY  FOOD  SERVICE  ESTABLISHMENTS.  THE  TERM "DISPOSABLE FOOD
 SERVICE CONTAINER" SHALL NOT INCLUDE ITEMS COMPOSED ENTIRELY OF ALUMINUM
 OR POLYSTYRENE FOAM COOLERS AND ICE CHESTS THAT ARE INTENDED FOR REUSE.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD07003-01-1

 S. 4880                             2
 
   E. "REUSABLE FOOD CONTAINER" SHALL MEAN ALL CONTAINERS, BOWLS, PLATES,
 TRAYS, CARTONS, CUPS, LIDS AND OTHER ITEMS THAT ARE DESIGNED  AND  MANU-
 FACTURED TO HOLD FOOD AND ARE CAPABLE OF MULTIPLE REUSE.
   2.  REQUIREMENTS.  A. ANY FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT IN THE STATE THAT
 SERVES BEVERAGES TO CUSTOMERS IN SINGLE-USE CONTAINERS SHALL NOT  REFUSE
 THE  REQUEST  OF  A  CUSTOMER  WHO  HAS ORDERED A BEVERAGE TO SERVE SUCH
 BEVERAGE IN A REUSABLE BEVERAGE CONTAINER PROVIDED BY  THE  CUSTOMER  IN
 SUBSTITUTION  FOR  THE SINGLE-USE CONTAINER PROVIDED BY THE FOOD SERVICE
 ESTABLISHMENT, PROVIDED THAT:
   (I) SUCH REUSABLE BEVERAGE CONTAINER IS CAPABLE OF AND APPROPRIATE FOR
 SERVING SUCH BEVERAGE, AS DETERMINED BASED  ON  THE  SIZE,  CLEANLINESS,
 MATERIAL,  AND  ANY  OTHER  RELEVANT  FACTORS,  OF THE REUSABLE BEVERAGE
 CONTAINER; AND
   (II) SUCH BEVERAGE SHALL  BE  DISPENSED  IN  A  MANNER  THAT  PREVENTS
 CONTACT  WITH,  OR  CONTAMINATION  OF,  THE FOOD-CONTACT SURFACES OF THE
 BEVERAGE DISPENSING EQUIPMENT.
   B. ANY FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT IN THE STATE  THAT  SERVES  FOOD  TO
 CUSTOMERS  IN  DISPOSABLE  FOOD  SERVICE CONTAINERS SHALL NOT REFUSE THE
 REQUEST OF A CUSTOMER WHO HAS LEFTOVERS FROM PARTIALLY CONSUMED MEALS TO
 PACKAGE SUCH LEFTOVERS IN A REUSABLE  FOOD  CONTAINER  PROVIDED  BY  THE
 CUSTOMER  IN  SUBSTITUTION  FOR  THE  DISPOSABLE  FOOD SERVICE CONTAINER
 PROVIDED BY THE FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT, PROVIDED THAT:
   (I) SUCH REUSABLE FOOD CONTAINER IS CAPABLE  OF  AND  APPROPRIATE  FOR
 PACKAGING  SUCH LEFTOVERS, AS DETERMINED BASED ON THE SIZE, CLEANLINESS,
 MATERIAL, AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT FACTORS, OF THE REUSABLE FOOD  CONTAIN-
 ER; AND
   (II)  SUCH  LEFTOVERS  SHALL  BE  PACKAGED  IN  A MANNER THAT PREVENTS
 CONTACT WITH, OR CONTAMINATION OF, THE FOOD-CONTACT SURFACES OF THE FOOD
 SERVING EQUIPMENT.
   3. NOTIFICATION. A. EVERY FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT IN THE STATE THAT
 SERVES BEVERAGES TO CUSTOMERS IN SINGLE-USE CONTAINERS  SHALL  CONSPICU-
 OUSLY  POST  SIGNAGE  INFORMING  CUSTOMERS  THAT  THEY  ARE PERMITTED TO
 REQUEST THE SERVICE OF BEVERAGES IN THEIR OWN REUSABLE BEVERAGE CONTAIN-
 ERS.
   B. EVERY FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT IN THE STATE THAT SERVES  FOOD  TO
 CUSTOMERS IN DISPOSABLE FOOD SERVICE CONTAINERS SHALL CONSPICUOUSLY POST
 SIGNAGE INFORMING CUSTOMERS THAT THEY ARE PERMITTED TO REQUEST THE PACK-
 AGING  OF  LEFTOVERS FROM PARTIALLY CONSUMED MEALS IN THEIR OWN REUSABLE
 FOOD CONTAINERS.
   § 3. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become  a
 law.

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Senate Bill S4880

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Sponsored By

Brian Kavanagh