How Anaheim Handles Single-Use Items: A Practical Guide

Anaheim maintains 243 local ordinances across all categories, and 4 of those deal specifically with single-use items. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Anaheim falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Plastic Bag Rules

California SB 270 and SB 1046 ban single-use plastic carryout bags at all Anaheim grocery, pharmacy, convenience, and liquor retailers, requiring a minimum ten-cent charge for any reusable or recycled paper bag provided.

Key details: Authority: CA SB 270 / SB 1046. Bag fee: 10 cents minimum. WIC/CalFresh: Exempt from fee. Covered: Grocery, pharmacy, convenience.

Providing a non-compliant single-use plastic bag, failing to charge the minimum bag fee, or misreporting the charge can result in civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation under state enforcement.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Anaheim actively enforces its plastic bag rules requirements.

Polystyrene Foam Rules

California SB 54 requires producers to eliminate expanded polystyrene foodware unless a sixty-five percent recycling rate is met, effectively banning foam clamshells and cups at Anaheim restaurants and food trucks beginning in 2025.

Key details: Effective: January 1, 2025. Recycling threshold: 65% to allow continued use. Authority: CA SB 54 / PRC 42040. Regulator: CalRecycle.

Distributing prohibited foam foodware after the SB 54 deadline can result in CalRecycle administrative penalties up to $50,000 per day per producer, and retailers risk supply-chain compliance audits.

Plastic Straw Rules

California AB 1884 prohibits Anaheim full-service restaurants from automatically providing single-use plastic straws and requires them to be furnished only when a customer specifically requests one.

Key details: Authority: CA AB 1884 / PRC 42270. Coverage: Dine-in full-service only. Max fine: $300 per year. Disability: Auto-honored exemption.

First and second violations within a calendar year warrant warnings; subsequent violations result in fines up to $25 per day with a $300 maximum annual penalty assessed against the dine-in restaurant.

Utensils-On-Request

California AB 1276 requires Anaheim restaurants and food delivery platforms to provide single-use utensils, condiments, stirrers, and napkins only when the customer specifically requests them, ending automatic inclusion in takeout and delivery orders.

Key details: Authority: CA AB 1276 / PRC 42270.5. Default: Off in app/online. Max fine: $300 per year. Covers: Utensils, condiments, napkins.

Two warnings precede any fine, then violations are infractions of $25 per day with a $300 annual cap per food facility, with the same penalty schedule for delivery platforms operating in Anaheim.

The Bottom Line

Anaheim's single-use items rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Anaheim is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Anaheim's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.