LA County Code Title 12.84 bans expanded polystyrene takeout containers at unincorporated-area food businesses. California AB-1201 sets ASTM compostability labeling rules so containers marketed compostable meet ASTM D6400 or D6868 standards before being sold or used countywide.
Title 12.84 prohibits expanded polystyrene foam takeout containers — clamshells, bowls, trays, and cups — at restaurants, food trucks, and grocery hot bars operating in unincorporated LA County. Operators must use fiber-based, aluminum, recyclable plastic (PET, PP), or certified compostable containers. California AB-1201 (2021) requires any container marketed as compostable to meet ASTM D6400 (plastics) or D6868 (fiber-coated) compostability standards verified by BPI, CMA, or TUV certification. Misbranded compostable containers cannot be sold in California. CalRecycle enforces labeling, while Public Health enforces the foam ban. Reusable container programs through services like DeliverZero are pilot-permitted under Title 12.84 administrative rulings.
Foam ban violations follow Title 12.84 escalation — warning, $100 daily, $200 daily for repeats. AB-1201 mislabeling carries CalRecycle enforcement up to $5,000 per day per product. Importing or selling non-conforming compostable containers in California is a separate civil violation.
See how El Monte's takeout containers rules stack up against other locations.
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