Rochester has no local single-use straw ordinance. New York State Environmental Conservation Law § 27-3303 (Article 27, Title 33) governs statewide: food-service establishments may only provide plastic straws and stirrers upon customer request, effective November 2021.
Rochester, NY has not enacted a city-level single-use straw ordinance. The controlling authority is New York State ECL Article 27, Title 33, § 27-3303, which prohibits food-service establishments (restaurants, cafes, bars, food trucks, and similar) from proactively providing single-use plastic beverage straws or stirrers. Straws must be kept in stock and provided free of charge upon any customer request; no inquiry into the reason for the request is permitted (accommodating disability needs). Splash sticks made of plastic are also restricted. Enforcement statewide is by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and local health departments. NYC has its own parallel Local Law 64 of 2021, but Rochester falls under the state framework, which took effect November 1, 2021.
Violations of ECL § 27-3303 may result in civil penalties assessed by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation; fines can reach $250–$1,000 per offense.
See how Rochester's plastic straw rules rules stack up against other locations.
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