New Jersey Implements 'Skip the Stuff' Law to Reduce Plastic Waste by Requiring Customers to Request Utensils
New Jersey restaurants and food trucks will no longer automatically provide plastic utensils, napkins, or condiment packets with takeout and delivery orders starting this Saturday. Under the new 'Skip the Stuff' law, customers must now request these items, a move designed to reduce plastic waste and keep unused items out of streets and waterways. The law applies to dine-in, takeout, delivery, and drive-thru orders, though many full-service restaurants with seating for 10 or more customers are now required to provide reusable silverware for dine-in customers. Businesses that fail to comply will receive a warning for the first violation, followed by a $100 fine for a second offense, and a $250 fine for subsequent violations. Money collected from fines will go to the Clean Communities Program Fund. Several exemptions exist, including schools, health care facilities, correctional facilities, and food courts, which are exempt until 2028. Single-use plastic utensils are still permitted if they are included with prepackaged food products.