Much like how Oregon’s grocery stores let shoppers bring in their own reusable bags, restaurants could fill diner’s personal take-home containers under a bill approved by the state Senate Wednesday.
Senate Bill 545 would direct the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) to adopt rules that would give diners the choice to refuse single-use plastics.
“Once OHA’s rules are adopted, restaurants will have the option to allow customers to bring their own containers for filling, leftovers or not,” said Sen. Janeen Sollman, D-Hillsboro, before the vote.
“Some restaurants currently contract with outside vendors to provide reusable, returnable, to-go container service," she said. "This policy will actually allow them to bring that service in-house and potentially save the restaurant money.”
Some critics in the Senate pushed back, questioning the practicality, liability, or sanitary aspects of such an arrangement. But the bill passed with bipartisan support, and now heads to the Oregon House of Representatives.