Berkeley to start charging 25 cents for disposable cups next year

Restaurants and coffee shops in Berkeley, Calif., will start charging 25 cents for disposable cups next year after officials voted unanimously in favor of the ordinance.

The Berkeley City Council approved the measure this week, which is aimed at cutting down on restaurant waste by encouraging patrons to bring reusable cups, according to the Associated Press.

The policy, Disposable-Free Dining, will take effect in January 2020. It will also require restaurants to shift to compostable takeout containers and to only provide reusable dine-in cutlery by the middle of the year.

{mosads}The measure mimics the tax on single-use plastic bags already in effect across California and other states. But in the case of the disposable cup ban, restaurants would keep the proceeds.

It also comes as a number of cities and businesses have moved to cut down on plastic waste by banning single-use straws.

Some businesses owners expressed concerns that the fee, combined with a recent statewide increase in the minimum wage to $15 per hour, could drive away customers who aren’t fully informed about why food prices may be increasing.

Stuart Baker, executive director of Telegraph Business Improvement District, told AP that he hopes Berkeley officials work to educate the public about the policy’s effects.

“Everyone is excited about doing something about the environment — and then the food price goes up but the student doesn’t make the connection and stops eating out and business goes down,” Baker said. “That’s a concern.”