By KEVIN BESSLER
Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (IRN) — Illinois Democrats pushed through a mountain of bills through the General Assembly this week, including one that dealt with plastic foodware.
The measure provides that a third-party food delivery platform or third-party online ordering platform must allow consumers to request single-use foodware when ordering food or beverages from a restaurant through the platform.
“It makes those utensils by request only and that way consumers are not receiving those plastic utensils when they didn’t want them, didn’t ask for them and they’re having dinner in their home from their favorite restaurant,” said the bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, D-Glenview.
The practice is currently being used in Chicago. Opponents wondered why the state had to get involved.
“Does it need to be a law is the question,” said state Rep. Patrick Windhorst, R-Metropolis. “Is there other ways to accomplish this without putting another law on the books, adding more legislation and putting more burdens on individuals and businesses.”
Gong-Gershowitz said not only would the law be good for the environment, it could save restaurants money.
“Restaurants are very tight-margined businesses and so for restaurants, this gives them the ability to just skip the stuff, not spend the money on utensils unless the consumer wants it,” said Gong-Gershowitz.
The measure passed by a vote of 75-39 and now heads to the Senate for consideration.
