Latest news with #SB551
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oregon Senate passes updated bill to ban plastic bags at restaurants
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The Oregon Senate re-passed a bill aiming to completely eliminate plastic bags at all checkouts from grocery stores and restaurants. After , passed once again with a 22-8 vote on Tuesday, May 27. The new version of the bill comes with a few changes. Construction nearly underway for new music venue in Portland's Lloyd District Previous versions of the bill included a provision that would prohibit business owners and hotel staff from providing utensils, condiment packages, or toiletry containers made of plastic unless requested by customers. However, the Oregon House removed those sections. Earlier this year, a study from Portland State University revealed that small particles of plastic products were making their way into Oregon seafood. Out of the 182 fish and shrimp samples that were assessed, researchers detected 1,806 particles that were believed to be microplastics in all but two of the samples. Stolen baby goats returned to Vancouver feed store, rabbit still missing This is another advancement in officials' efforts to reduce use of plastics and other materials that could harm the environment. Oregon's plastic bag ban for grocery stores went into effect in 2020. A started this year. SB 551 now heads to Gov. Tina Kotek's desk for her to sign. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bill limiting single-use plastics for Oregon restaurants, hotels passes Senate
PORTLAND, Ore. () — Oregon lawmakers are trying to crack down on the prevalence of single-use plastics offered at businesses statewide. , which would ban restaurants and retailers from giving patrons single-use checkout bags, was approved with a 22-8 vote among Oregon senators on Tuesday. The measure would also prohibit business owners and hotel staff from providing utensils, condiment packages, or toiletry containers made of plastic unless requested by customers. Cannon Beach's long-standing poop problem cited in complaint from environmental nonprofit During SB 551's , Sen. Janeen Sollman — the bill's chief sponsor — told legislators the policy would help local businesses save money in addition to reducing plastics. 'One colleague proclaimed to me, 'I love plastic,'' Sen. Sollman said. 'I want to be clear: this is not a ban on all plastic, but a mere drop in the plastic deluge of products we encounter every day… Plastic bags and small plastic containers cannot be collected curbside so it takes more of an effort for Oregonians to mitigate the waste and the bulk and ends up in our landfills.' The chief sponsor added that major retailers like Fred Meyer and have already stopped providing plastic bags. She also noted that a 'prevalence of microfibers' has been found in local waterways. Earlier this year, a revealed that small particles of plastic products were making their way into Oregon seafood. Out of the 182 fish and shrimp samples that were assessed, researchers detected 1,806 particles that were believed to be microplastics in all but two of the samples. This is another advancement in officials' efforts to reduce use of plastics and other materials that could harm the environment. Oregon's went into effect in 2020. A started this year. Oregon gun control law is constitutional, according to state appeals court But while a majority of legislators approved SB 551 as well, dissenters like Sen. Noah Robinson argued that its enactment would inconvenience customers who use plastic bags and it would rid retailers of their freedom to use the packaging of their choice. The Oregon House's first reading of the bill is scheduled for Thursday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oregon Senate votes in favor of more restrictions on plastic: What to know
New restrictions on single-use plastic could be coming to retail stores, restaurants and hotels after the Oregon Senate voted Tuesday in favor of Senate Bill 551, sending the legislation to the House for consideration. If signed into law, restaurants could provide plastic utensils and condiments in plastic packaging only on request. The same would apply to single-use shampoos and other personal products at hotels. Legislators banned single-use plastic bags at stores and restaurants in 2019 but allowed for thicker plastic bags. SB551 would ban those, too. Sen. Janeen Sollman, D-Hillsboro, Rep. Courtney Neron, D-Wilsonville, and Rep. Tom Andersen, D-Salem, are chief sponsors of the bill. "Freeing Oregon from those thick plastic bags is a win for the environment and for business," Sollman said. Sollman said the bill would save businesses money on bags and products, such as plastic utensils, which may be given out but not used by the customer. Only about 9% of plastic nationally is recycled, Celeste Meiffren-Swango, director for Environment Oregon, told the Senate Committee on Energy and Environment in January. Sollman is the committee's chair. "We have serious problems with plastics that run onto our beaches," said vice-chair of the committee, Sen. David Brock Smith, R-Port Orford. He and Sen. Todd Nash, R-Enterprise, said the bill would help the timber industry by increasing demand for paper bags. Sen. Noah Robinson, R-Cave Junction, spoke against the bill, saying, "I love plastic." He said the ban is a "freedom issue" and would inconvenience consumers. Robinson was one of eight no votes on the bill, all Republican. Single-use condiments and cutlery would be available only upon request beginning July 1, 2026. Thicker plastic bags would be banned at stores and restaurants as of Jan. 1, 2027. The ban's start date was pushed back after grocers expressed concerns about impacts on paper bag supply due to a similar bill set to go into effect in California in 2026. Hotels with 50 or more rooms could provide single-use toiletries only on request after Jan. 1, 2027. The requirement would apply to lodging with one or more rooms beginning Jan. 1, 2028. Anastasia Mason covers state government for the Statesman Journal. Reach her at acmason@ or 971-208-5615. This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Plastic bag ban moves to Oregon House of Representatives
