Southampton, NY Single-Use Items: Plastic Straw Rules (2026)

Section 212-4 of the Town Code, part of Chapter 212's single-use plastics regulations, requires every food service establishment and beverage provider in the Town of Southampton to provide straws and stirrers only upon a customer's request, as amended May 7, 2019 by Local Law No. 14-2019; stirrers may still be set out for self-service at beverage stations without a request. Section 212-4B goes further than an on-request rule alone: any straws or stirrers that are provided, even on request, must be made of nonplastic materials such as paper, pasta, sugar cane, wood or bamboo, since 'plastic straw' and 'plastic stirrer' are defined at § 212-1 to exclude those materials.

Recognizing accessibility needs, § 212-4C allows food service establishments and beverage providers to keep on hand up to 20 plastic straws under the Americans with Disabilities Act, for use only by persons who specifically require a plastic straw. Under § 212-4D, these restrictions became operative on May 8, 2019, giving businesses time to use up existing plastic straw inventory. 'Beverage provider' is defined broadly at § 212-1 to cover any business, organization or individual offering liquid, slurry, frozen or semifrozen beverages to the public, so the rule reaches cafes and bars, not just full-service restaurants.

Enforcement of the straws rule runs through the same Chapter 212 penalty provision as the checkout bag and foam restrictions: § 212-5 makes any violation punishable under the Penal Law of the State of New York as a violation, with a fine up to $1,000, imprisonment up to 15 days, or both, and each day a violation continues counted as a separate offense.