More information

On top of a possible plastic foam ban, the General Assembly is also evaluating a prohibition on single-use plastic straws this session.

Del. Sara Love (D-Montgomery) introduced HB 134, which would limit restaurants to providing a plastic straw to a customer only upon request. The proposed change would take effect on Jan. 1, 2020, and would not apply to drive-thru windows.

The proposed change would be similar to bans and restrictions on single-use plastic straws in at least 15 cities in the U.S.

Nearby Washington, D.C., is among the cities that restricts plastic straw use. Starting last October, restaurants and other food service locations were required to switch to compostable or reusable straws and stirrers.

Past studies in Maryland, however, show the state is not swimming in plastic straws.

Plastic straws account for a relatively small percentage of the state's waste, according to a statewide waste characterization study commissioned by the Maryland Department of the Environment in 2016. Straws made up only a portion of the 3.9 percent of "other/composite" plastics in the municipal waste stream.

Due to their low volume, if straws were to be removed from the state's waste stream, there would be little to no impact on disposal costs or local revenues from landfill operations, according to the Department of Legislative Services' fiscal analysis of the bill.

Reducing the availability of straws at restaurants is also expected to have a "minimal" effect on small businesses, according to the analysis.

Love will present her bill to the House Economic Matters Committee on Wednesday.

— Samantha Hogan