NJ Single-Use Utensils Ban Moves Forward
A newly advancing New Jersey State Senate bill could soon change a small but familiar part of dining out and ordering takeout across the state.
Senate Bill S3195 focuses on reducing waste from single use plastic utensils and condiment packets by shifting how food service businesses provide these items to customers.
If approved, the bill would make New Jersey one of the latest states to require restaurants to move away from automatically including disposable utensils and condiments with meals.
You can read the full bill here.
NJ Single Use Utensils Ban Moves Forward
What Senate Bill S3195 Would Do
Under S3195, restaurants and food service establishments would no longer be allowed to automatically include single use utensils or condiment packets with meals.
Instead, those items could only be provided if a customer specifically requests them. This would apply to takeout, delivery, and drive through orders.
For dine in service, restaurants that offer on site seating for ten or more customers would be required to use reusable, washable utensils rather than disposable ones.
The bill does allow exceptions for certain facilities, including schools, licensed healthcare facilities, and correctional institutions.
Why Lawmakers Say the Bill Is Needed
Supporters of S3195 say the bill is aimed at cutting down on unnecessary waste and litter, particularly plastic items that are often thrown away unused.
State lawmakers point to the volume of plastic utensils and condiment packets that end up in landfills or waterways as part of a broader environmental issue facing New Jersey.
The bill also directs the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to launch a public education campaign highlighting the environmental benefits of reducing single use plastics.
Penalties for Violations
S3195 includes a tiered enforcement system rather than immediate fines.
A first violation would result in a warning. A second violation would carry a one thousand dollar civil penalty. Any third or subsequent violations would result in a two thousand five hundred dollar fine.
Money collected through these penalties would be directed into New Jersey’s Clean Communities Program Fund, which supports litter removal and environmental education programs statewide.
Current Status of the Bill
The bill was introduced in the New Jersey Senate in May 2024 and has since advanced through committee review.
As of December 2025, S3195 has been reported out of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee with amendments and continues moving through the legislative process.
The bill is sponsored by State Senators Bob Smith and Raj Mukherji, along with several additional cosponsors.
What This Could Mean for Cape May County
For visitors, it could mean receiving fewer automatic utensils and condiment packets with takeout orders unless they are specifically requested. Which is rough since we are a tourist county so many people are getting food on the go.
For restaurant owners, it would require adjustments to ordering systems and customer communication aka, ‘you would need to ask for these utensils,’ particularly during the busy summer season when takeout volume is high.
The bill is still under consideration, and any final changes or implementation timeline would come after full legislative approval and potential signing by the governor.
What do you think of this bill?