Plastic straws fall under Honolulu's disposable foodware ordinance: vendors may only provide them on request, and many establishments have transitioned to paper or compostable straws to comply.
ROH Chapter 41 Article 19 treats plastic straws as covered single-use accessories. Food vendors cannot hand them out automatically and must provide an alternative or none at all unless asked. While the ordinance does not categorically ban plastic straws (unlike Maui County's stricter rule), the request-only requirement combined with Honolulu's polystyrene ban has driven most restaurants to paper, PLA-compostable, or reusable bamboo/metal options. ADA accommodations require flexible plastic straws to remain available for disabled patrons who need them — vendors must keep some on hand.
Same enforcement schedule as utensils: $100 first violation, escalating to $500–$1,000 per day for repeat offenses under ROH §41-19.
Honolulu, HI
Honolulu's Bill 40 (2019) prohibits food vendors from selling, distributing, or using polystyrene foam containers, plates, cups, and trays. Full enforcement ...
Honolulu, HI
Honolulu's disposable foodware ordinance requires food vendors to provide single-use utensils, straws, stirrers, and condiment packets only when the customer...
See how Honolulu's plastic straw rules rules stack up against other locations.
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