Thirty Single-Use Plastic Utensils: A Call to Action

Over the years, I’ve collected countless single-use plastic forks, spoons, and knives during my solo beach cleanups—but yesterday, I set a personal record. I picked up thirty plastic utensils along the stretch of coastline I regularly walk.

Several of them even had barnacles growing on them—like the one below—evidence that many of them had spent time in the ocean and weren’t just recently littered on the beach.

“Takeaway food and drink litter dominates ocean plastic, study shows.”

Finding one after another, along with other single-use debris, reminded me of a June 2021 headline in The Guardian: “Takeaway food and drink litter dominates ocean plastic, study shows.” Researchers found that plastic bags, beverage bottles, food containers, wrappers—and cutlery—are among the most commonly found ocean plastics. In fact, these types of items make up nearly half of all marine debris.

Lead scientist Carmen Morales-Caselles noted, “We were not surprised about plastic being 80% of the litter, but the high proportion of takeaway items did surprise us.” The researchers concluded that bans on single-use items can be effective strategies for reducing plastic pollution.

California’s “Skip the Stuff” Law: Progress with Room for Improvement

To begin addressing the problem of disposable plastics, California enacted AB 1276—the “Skip the Stuff” law—which became enforceable in January 2022. It requires that restaurants provide single-use items like cutlery, straws, stirrers, and condiment packets only upon request. Responsibility for enforcement falls to cities and counties, and violations can result in penalties. However, because the fines are minimal—not a strong deterrent for many businesses—and local code enforcement departments are often understaffed, compliance has been inconsistent, and violations remain widespread — hence the cutlery “tsunami” I stumbled upon at North Ponto Beach.

Collective Action Makes a Difference

Some cities, like Carlsbad and Coronado, have been proactive by adopting more comprehensive ordinances that require compostable food-ware to further reduce plastic waste—and Encinitas may follow suit when the issue comes before the City Council on June 25.

Even though the rollout of California’s “Skip the Stuff” law has not been perfect, it has helped some—and individuals can still make a difference. We can support local businesses—like Surfrider-certified Ocean Friendly Restaurants—and other food establishments that follow the law. We can also refuse single-use accessory food-ware items and can encourage others to do the same.

In addition, we can advocate for common-sense policies that lead to meaningful change. To that end, keep an eye out for an action alert about the upcoming Encinitas City Council meeting. Sign up to receive Surfrider San Diego action alerts HERE (scroll to the bottom of the page).

If you live in San Diego County, sending a quick email of support will help a lot. And if you’re an Encinitas resident, we hope you’ll attend the meeting on June 25 and consider speaking in person.

Together, we can protect our coastline from plastic pollution!