New Jersey enacts ‘Skip the Stuff’ law to curb automatic plastic utensil use

Effective August 1, New Jersey’s “Skip the Stuff” law requires restaurants to stop automatically including single‑use plastic forks, knives, spoons, straws, chopsticks and condiment packets in take‑out orders. Customers can still receive these items at no charge, but must request them explicitly, including orders placed through delivery platforms such as DoorDash, Uber Eats and Instacart.

The regulation also applies to dine‑in service at establishments that seat ten or more patrons. Such restaurants must provide reusable, washable utensils and serve condiments in full‑size bottles or reusable containers instead of disposable packets. Exemptions cover public and private K‑12 schools, state prisons and health‑care facilities. Food‑court vendors receive a delayed compliance deadline until August 2028.

Violations trigger a warning for the first offense; a second breach can be fined up to $100 per day, with subsequent violations penalized up to $250 per day. The law, signed by Governor Phil Murphy in January, aims to reduce the roughly 95 % of food‑packaging waste that is discarded after a single use, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.