On February 5, 2019 the City of Delray Beach adopted Ordinance 10-19, prohibiting the distribution of single-use plastic straws. As of January 1, 2020 food and beverage establishments are prohibited from distributing plastic straws and must provide a sustainable alternative. There are a variety of products that comply with the City’s Ordinance and several of those options can be seen here. If you have other products that you believe comply with the Ordinance please reach out to the City’s Office of Sustainability and Resilience.

• Plastic Straw Alternatives
• Other Single Use Plastics Alternatives
• Distributors
• Ecolabels and Definitions

Plastic Straw Alternatives

• Aardvark https://aardvarkstraws.com/
• Hay! Straws https://haystraws.com/
• Lean Orb https://leanorb.com/
• Restaurantware Eco-Friendly Supplies (*Not all straws listed are compliant. PLA or PHA straws are NON-COMPLIANT) https://www.restaurantware.com/
• SeaStrawsCo https://seastraws.co/
• Strawfish https://strawfish.co/
• The Pasta Straws https://pastastraws.org/
• Tiger Packaging (*Not all straws listed are compliant. PLA or PHA straws are NON-COMPLIANT) https://tigerpackaging.com/

*Please note that straws made predominantly of plastic derived from either petroleum or a biologically based polymer are not compliant with Ordinance 10-19 (Code of Ordinances Chapter 121). This includes PLA and PHA straws. Also, please note that other products not listed here may be compliant with our City Ordinance. If you have a question about a specific product, please reach out to the City’s Office of Sustainability and Resilience. 

Other Single-Use Plastics Alternatives

While Skipping the Straw and providing alternatives to plastic straws is a great place to start, some businesses are looking to further reduce their impact on the environment by removing plastic stirrers, cutlery and Styrofoam containers. The information on this page can be used to assist in exploring various alternatives that are readily available. Please note that there are more sustainable products and manufacturers that provide sustainable products than are listed here. If you have a question about a specific product, please reach out to the City’s Office of Sustainability and Resilience. 

•  AvoplastiQs Cutlery made from Avocado pit, Agave, Cassava, and bio resins (*Straws may not be compliant with Ordinance 10-19) https://www.avoplastiqs.com/
• Be Green Packaging Food packaging, bowls, trays, plates, cups https://begreenpackaging.com/
• BottleBox Food containers https://www.thebottlebox.com/
• Cedar Grove Food containers, cups, straws, cutlery (*Straws may not be compliant with Ordinance 10-19) https://cedar-grove.com/store/packaging
• Genpak Food Containers, Tableware, Cups & Plates (*Not all Genpak items are made from sustainable materials) https://www.genpak.com/harvest/products/
• Good Start Packaging Food containers, cups, straws, cutlery (*Straws may not be compliant with Ordinance 10-19) https://www.goodstartpackaging.com/
• Lean Orb Trays, cups, lids, cutlery, containers https://leanorb.com/
• Naked Straw Cutlery (*Straws may not be compliant with Ordinance 10-19) https://www.nakedstraw.com/
• Ooho Food packaging https://www.notpla.com/
• Restaurantware Eco-Friendly Supplies (*Straws may not be compliant with Ordinance 10-19) https://www.restaurantware.com/
• SeaStrawsCo Cutlery and straws https://seastraws.co/
• Tellus Products Food containers, plates, bowls https://www.tellusproducts.com
• Tiger Packaging Trays, cups, lids, cutlery, containers (*Straws may not be compliant with Ordinance 10-19) https://tigerpackaging.com/ 

Distributors

• Cheney Brothers Inc. https://www.cheneybrothers.com/
• Gordon Food Service https://www.gfs.com/en-us
• Imperial Dade https://imperialdade.com/
• LetsGoGreen.biz https://letsgogreen.biz/
• PFG Performance Food Group https://www.pfgc.com/
• Sysco https://www.sysco.com/
• The Complete Package https://www.the-complete-package.com/
• US. Foods https://www.usfoods.com/
• Webstaurant Store https://www.webstaurantstore.com/

Ecolabels and Definitions

	Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI): BPI is a science-driven organization that supports a shift to the circular economy by promoting the production, use, and appropriate end of lives for materials and products that are designed to fully biodegrade in specific biologically active environments. https://bpiworld.org
	BioPreferred (USDA): Managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the goal of the BioPreferred Program is to increase the purchase and use of biobased products. The program's purpose is to spur economic development, create new jobs and provide new markets for farm commodities. https://www.biopreferred.gov/BioPreferred/
	Cradle-to-Cradle: Cradle to Cradle Certified™ is a globally recognized measure of safer, more sustainable products made for the circular economy. https://www.c2ccertified.org
	EcoLogo / Underwriters Laboratories (UL): ECOLOGO Certified products, services and packaging are certified for reduced environmental impact in some or all of the following categories - materials, energy, manufacturing and operations, health and environment, product performance and use, and product stewardship and innovation. https://www.ul.com/resources/ecologo-certification-program
	Energy Star: ENERGY STAR is the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency, providing simple, credible, and unbiased information that consumers and businesses rely on to make well informed decisions. https://www.energystar.gov
	EPA: The Recommendations of Specifications, Standards, and Ecolabels help federal purchasers identify and procure environmentally preferable products and services. https://www.epa.gov/greenerproducts/recommendations-specifications-standards-and-ecolabels-federal-purchasing
	EPA WaterSense: WaterSense is a voluntary partnership program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is both a label for water-efficient products and a resource for helping to save water. https://www.epa.gov/watersense
	EPEAT certified (highest rating available): EPEAT is the leading global ecolabel for the IT sector. The EPEAT program provides independent verification of manufacturers’ claims and the EPEAT online Registry lists sustainable products from a broader range of manufacturers than any comparable ecolabel. https://www.epeat.net/
	Fair Trade certification: Fair trade is a global movement made up of a diverse network of producers, companies, shoppers, advocates, and organizations putting people and planet first. When you see a product with the Fair Trade Certified™ seal, you can be sure it was made according to rigorous social, environmental, and economic standards. https://www.fairtradecertified.org
	Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): FSC is the leading catalyst and defining force for improved forest management and market transformation, shifting the global forest trend toward sustainable use, conservation, restoration, and respect for all. https://fsc.org/en
	Green Guard Standards / Underwriters Laboratories (UL): Products that have achieved GREENGUARD Certification are scientifically proven to meet some of the world’s most rigorous third-party chemical emissions standards, helping to reduce indoor air pollution and the risk of chemical exposure. https://www.ul.com/resources/ul-greenguard-certification-program
	Green Seal: Green Seal develops standards that clearly define sustainability leadership for products, cleaning services, hotels, and restaurants. https://greenseal.org
	Rainforest Alliance Certified: Rainforest Alliance certification helps farmers produce better crops, adapt to climate change, increase their productivity, and reduce costs. Sourcing Rainforest Alliance Certified products also helps businesses meet consumer expectations and safeguard their brand’s credibility. https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/find-certified
	Safer Choice (US EPA): Safer Choice helps consumers, businesses, and purchasers find products that perform and contain ingredients that are safer for human health and the environment. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice
	SMaRT certification (from MTS): SMaRT requires products to meet stringent requirements that satisfy both human health and environmental concerns. By emphasizing people and the planet, the rating provides facility managers with a more complete picture of a product’s lifecycle impacts. http://mts.sustainableproducts.com/SMaRT_Certified.html
	U.S. EPA’s Design for the Environment (DfE): Design for the Environment (DfE) is a design approach to reduce the overall human health and environmental impact of a product, process or service, where impacts are considered across its life cycle. https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice/safer-choice-related-programs
	U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED): LEED certification is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement and leadership. Available for virtually all building types, LEED provides a framework for healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green buildings. https://www.usgbc.org/leed

Green Business Certification Program

The Green Business Certification Program is designed to increase sustainability through innovative solutions within your business. Learn more about how to have your business certified as a City of Delray Beach Green Business by visiting the Green Business Certification Program page.