Unlike many coastal California cities, Bakersfield has not enacted a local polystyrene foam takeout container ban. State law SB 54 will phase out problematic plastics by 2032, but day-to-day Bakersfield restaurants may still use foam clamshells.
Many California cities such as Berkeley, Santa Monica, and San Francisco have banned expanded polystyrene foam takeout containers. Bakersfield, consistent with its Central Valley conservative regulatory posture, has not adopted such a local ban. Restaurants may legally serve takeout in foam clamshells, cups, and bowls. Statewide, SB 54 (the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act of 2022) requires major reductions in single-use plastic packaging by 2032 and bans expanded polystyrene food service ware unless producers meet aggressive recycling rate targets, effectively phasing it out. Bakersfield restaurants will need to transition by the SB 54 compliance deadlines.
No current local fine. Future SB 54 producer obligations and enforcement by CalRecycle will fall on packaging producers rather than individual Bakersfield restaurants directly.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Bakersfield, CA
Bakersfield Municipal Code 6.04.230 prohibits keeping any animal, bird, or fowl that by sound or cry unreasonably disturbs the peace or interferes with the c...
Bakersfield, CA
Bakersfield Municipal Code Chapter 9.22 prohibits any loud, unnecessary noise that disturbs the peace or quiet of any neighborhood, or that causes discomfort...
Bakersfield, CA
Bakersfield does not generally ban overnight street parking, but BMC 10.40.010 makes it unlawful for any vehicle (operable or not) to remain parked on a publ...
Bakersfield, CA
Bakersfield does not restrict year-round lawn ornaments (statues, gnomes, flamingos, religious figures, sports themes) on residential property. There is no p...
Bakersfield, CA
Bakersfield does not regulate residential inflatable holiday displays by size, lighting, or motor noise. They qualify as seasonal decorations exempt under BM...
Bakersfield, CA
Bakersfield's outdoor lighting standards exempt seasonal decorations as long as they are not in use for more than 60 consecutive days. Residential lots zoned...
See how Bakersfield's polystyrene foam rules rules stack up against other locations.
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