LA County and California Single Use Plastic Rules: 2026 Update for Restaurants

Updated July 2026. This post originally covered the Los Angeles County ordinance that took effect May 1, 2023. It now reflects the current rules as of mid 2026, including statewide changes.

The short version: if you operate a food business in unincorporated Los Angeles County, every piece of single use foodware you hand out must be compostable or recyclable, and conventional plastic counts as neither. Statewide, full service restaurants may only give plastic straws on request, and California's SB 54 packaging law entered its enforcement phase in May 2026. Home compostable foodware is the safest way to stay ahead of all three.

The LA County ordinance

The county's sustainable foodware ordinance rolled out in phases: permanent food facilities such as restaurants, bars, and coffee shops on May 1, 2023; food trucks and temporary food services on November 1, 2023; and catering and farmers markets by May 1, 2024. It applies in unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. All single use foodware for dine in and takeout, including straws, cutlery, cups, and containers, must be compostable or recyclable. Enforcement began as complaint based education, and violations can draw fines of up to $100 per day, capped at $1,000 per year.

Statewide: AB 1884 and SB 54

AB 1884 has been in effect since 2019: full service restaurants in California may only provide single use plastic straws when the customer asks for one. SB 54, the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act, is the bigger long term shift. Its permanent regulations took effect May 1, 2026, moving packaging responsibility onto producers and tightening what counts as recyclable or compostable across the state. Straws, utensils, and condiments are by request only for on premises dining, and delivery platforms must let customers opt in rather than including them automatically.

What this means for your operation

The pattern across every new rule is the same: plastic is out, and materials that only claim to be compostable are getting scrutiny. PLA bioplastic in particular only breaks down at industrial composting facilities, which most of the country lacks, so some jurisdictions treat it skeptically. Home compostable materials such as bamboo fiber avoid that problem entirely because they break down in a backyard bin with no special infrastructure. See our full comparison of bamboo fiber, paper, PLA, and PHA straws for the tradeoffs.

Switching without the headache

KGPeco supplies home compostable, BPI certified bamboo fiber straws and cutlery by the case and pallet to restaurants, boba shops, bars, and caterers. There is no minimum order for wholesale accounts, and we send free sample packs to businesses so you can test in real service first. Start on our wholesale page or request samples.