Columbus has no plastic straw ban or upon-request rule. Ohio Revised Code Section 3737.83 preempted broader auxiliary container regulation, and Columbus City Council has not pursued straw-specific ordinances apart from voluntary sustainability programs.
Ohio Revised Code Section 3737.83, enacted by HB 242 in 2020, preempts local regulation of auxiliary containers and food service items, originally including disposable straws. While certain provisions sunset in 2022, Columbus has not enacted a straw ban or by-request requirement comparable to Seattle, Washington DC, or California municipalities. Columbus restaurants, bars, and food trucks distribute plastic, paper, or compostable straws at their discretion. The Columbus Climate Action Plan and Sustainable Columbus encourage voluntary reduction, retailer education, and customer awareness, but no enforceable mandate exists. Customers may request paper or no straw, and many local businesses voluntarily switched to alternatives. Federal disability rights law preserves access to flexible plastic straws when needed for medical reasons.
No Columbus ordinance regulates single-use straws. Food service businesses face no local penalties for plastic straw distribution. Voluntary reduction is encouraged but unenforced; state preemption complicates any future regulation.
Columbus, OH
Ohio Revised Code Section 3737.83 enacted in 2019 preempted municipal regulation of auxiliary containers including plastic bags. The preemption expired brief...
Columbus, OH
Columbus has not adopted a polystyrene foam container ban. Ohio Revised Code Section 3737.83 covered auxiliary containers but expired in 2022 for some catego...
See how Columbus's plastic straw rules rules stack up against other locations.
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