State and Local Laws

Purpose:

 Provide recycling, organics, and trash sorting opportunities for customers. Effective July 1, 2020. These bins are to collect waste generated by customers from products they purchase and consume on the premises.

Requirements:

• Bins must be visible and easily accessible.
• Bins must be labeled and colored Green (Organics), Blue (Recycling), and Gray/Black (Trash) for easy identification.
• Bins must have clearly marked with signage on what can or cannot be placed into each bin. 
• Bins must be collocated in a 3-stream formation:

 

Who is exempt?

Full-service restaurants with all reusable dishware, as long as they provide organics and recycling bins in the back of the house for their employees. Food and beverage establishments are considered a full-service restaurant if:

 

Customers are escorted or assigned to an assigned eating area.

 

 

 

 

 

Customers’ food and beverage orders are taken after being seated.

  

 

 

 

The check is delivered directly to the customer at the assigned eating area.

Purpose:
For retail food facilities and food delivery platforms to provide single-use foodware accessories and condiments upon request only. Effective January 1, 2022.

Requirements:

• Only provide single-use accessories to customers upon request.
• Self-service accessory stations are compliant with the law.
• Condiment packets (ketchup, mustard, soy sauce, etc.) should only be included in an order on request of the customer.
• No bundling of single-use accessories or condiments (no utensil packets).
• Accessories are napkins, straws, utensils, stirrers, spill stoppers, chopsticks, lids, and any other similar accessory or accompanying disposable food ware item used as part of food or beverage service. Below are examples of accessories.

Who Does This impact?

• Restaurants                                                        
• Take-out food delivery services
• Coffee shops
• Caterers
• Cafeterias
• Grocery stores
• Delis
• Event venue concessions
• Mobile food vendors
• Certified farmers markets

Who Is Exempt?

• Correctional institutions
• Licensed health care facilities
• Residential care facilities
• Public and private school cafeterias

*The City staff is here to help businesses and will always begin with education as assistance via in-person visits and follow-up communication.

To facilitate compliance with state and local regulations, the City has taken steps to educate and support local commercial food generators. Here are resources to help guide your business with SB 1383, AB 1276, and AB 827:

• Take a look a our What Does Compliance Look Like? flyer.

          

• Interested in informing your customers about AB 1276 or encouraging them to bring their reusable containers, cups, and utensils when ordering to-go? Get in touch with us, and we can provide you with a table tent (see below).

Environmental Services staff are available to answer any questions and provide educational support if needed. 

Remember, the simplest way to comply with AB 1276 and AB 827 is by becoming a Trash-Free certified business. Reach out to us at SREnvironmental@sanramon.ca.gov  for assistance.

 

The City of San Ramon is dedicated to reducing its environmental impact and becoming Trash-Free. Polystyrene foam, used in packaging and takeout containers, cannot be composted or easily recycled. It breaks into small, toxic pieces that animals mistake for food. These tiny particles, called microplastics, are harmful to the environment as they spread through wind and water. In San Ramon, you cannot recycle polystyrene foam through curbside programs run by ACI, the city’s franchise hauler. This material should always be thrown in the trash, not the recycling bin. As a result, the City of San Ramon has banned polystyrene foam foodware. You can view Ordinance 525: Polystyrene Foam Food Packaging and Foodware Ban here.

Bag Requirements at Grocery and Retail Stores

What Does This Mean?

Starting January 1, 2026, stores will no longer be allowed to provide single-use plastic carryout bags at the point of sale.  Instead, stores may only provide customers with recycled paper carryout bags for a minimum charge of ten cents ($0.10) per bag. Effective January 1, 2028, recycled paper carryout bags must contain a minimum of 50% postconsumer recycled materials. This means paper bags must be made with paper that people have already used and recycled.

Who Does This Affect?

• Most grocery stores
• Retail stores with a pharmacy
• Convenience stores
• Food marts
• Liquor stores

For exclusions, please visit Bag Requirements - CalRecycle Home Page .

 

What Can You Do?

Skip the single-use paper bags and bring your own reusable bag! Cotton totes and other sturdy bags can be washed and reused again and again, making them perfect for heavy items like canned goods and bottled beverages. Make it a habit—every reusable bag helps reduce waste and keep litter off our City streets.