Chapter 17.103 Prohibition and Restrictions on Single-Use Plastic

As used in Sections 17.103.100 through 17.103.120, the following terms have the following meanings:

A.   “Food vendor” means any restaurant or retail food vendor.

B.  “Food packager” means any person, located within the City of Portland, who places meat, eggs, bakery products, or other food in packaging materials for the purpose of retail sale of those products.

C.  “Nonprofit food provider” means a recognized tax-exempt organization which provides food as a part of its services.

D.  “Prepared food” means food or beverages which are served on the vendor's premises without preparation, or are prepared on the vendor's premises by cooking, chopping, slicing, mixing, brewing, freezing or squeezing. Prepared food does not include any raw uncooked meat or eggs. Prepared food may be eaten either on or off the premises.

E.  “Person” means any natural person, firm, corporation, partnership, or other organization or group however organized.

F.  “PSF” means any material composed of polystyrene and having a closed cell air capacity of 25 percent or greater, or a density of less than 0.787 grams per cubic centimeter based on an average polystyrene density of 1.05 grams per cubic centimeter, as determined by an analytical testing laboratory.

G.  “Restaurant” means any establishment, located within the City of Portland, selling prepared food to be eaten by customers. Restaurant includes a sidewalk food vendor.

H.  “Retail Food Vendor” or "Vendor" means any store, shop, sales outlet or other establishment, including a grocery store or a delicatessen, located within the City of Portland, which provides prepared food.

On and after January 1990, no restaurant or retail food vendor shall serve prepared food in any PSF products.

The City Council, or its appointee, may exempt a food vendor, food packager or nonprofit food provider from the requirements of this Code for a one-year period, upon showing by the applicant that the conditions of this Code would cause undue hardship. The phrase undue hardship, shall be construed to include, but not be limited to:

A.  Situations where there are no acceptable alternatives to PSF packaging for reasons which are unique to the vendor or provider;

B.  Situations where compliance with the requirements of this Code would deprive a person of a legally protected right. If a request for exemption is based upon a claim that a legally protected right would be denied if compliance were required and such request for exemption is denied, review of the denial shall only be by writ of review as provided for in ORS 34.010 to 34.102 and not otherwise.

The purpose for the prohibition on single-use plastic checkout bags is to regulate the distribution of plastic bags at retail and food establishments. The distribution of plastic bags has significant, on-going harmful impacts upon the environment, including;

A.  Plastic bags are a major source of litter.

B.  When littered, the material is detrimental to wildlife that ingests it.

C.  The materials used in plastic bags are persistent in the environment.

(Replaced by Ordinance No. 189797, effective December 18, 2019.)

A.  “Garment bag” means a large bag that incorporates a hanger on which garments may be hung to prevent wrinkling during travel or storage.

B.  “Recycled paper checkout bag” means a paper bag that contains at least 40 percent post-consumer recycled fiber.

C.  “Restaurant” means an establishment where the primary business is the preparation of food or drink:

1.  For consumption by the public;

2.  In a form or quantity that is consumable then and there, whether or not it is consumed within the confines of the place where prepared; or

3.  In consumable form for consumption outside the place where prepared.

D.  “Retail establishment” means a store that sells or offers for sale goods at retail and that is not a restaurant.

E.  “Reusable fabric checkout bag” means a bag with handles that is specifically designed and manufactured for multiple reuse and is made of cloth or other machine-washable fabric.

F.  “Reusable plastic checkout bag” means a bag with handles that is specifically designed and manufactured for multiple reuse and is made of durable plastic that is at least four mils thick.

G.  “Single-use checkout bag”:

1.  means a bag made of paper, plastic or any other material that is provided by a retail establishment to a customer at the time of checkout, and that is not a recycled paper checkout bag, a reusable fabric checkout bag or a reusable plastic checkout bag.

2.  does not mean:

a.  A bag that is provided by a retail establishment to a customer at a time other than the time of checkout, including but not limited to bags provided to:

(1)  Package bulk items such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, grains, greeting cards or small hardware items, including nails, bolts or screws;

(2)  Contain or wrap frozen food, meat, fish, flowers, a potted plant or another item for the purpose of addressing dampness or sanitation;

(3)  Contain unwrapped prepared food or a bakery good; or

(4)  Contain a prescription drug;

b.  A newspaper bag, door hanger bag, garment bag, laundry bag or dry cleaning bag; or

c.  A bag sold in a package containing multiple bags for uses such as food storage, garbage containment or pet waste collection.

(Replaced by Ordinance No. 189797, effective December 18, 2019.)

A.  Except as provided in Subsection 17.103.220 B., a retail establishment may not provide:

1.  Single-use checkout bags to customers.

2.  Recycled paper checkout bags, reusable fabric checkout bags or reusable plastic checkout bags to customers unless the retail establishment charges not less than 5 cents for each recycled paper checkout bag, reusable fabric checkout bag or reusable plastic checkout bag.

B.  A retail establishment may provide:

1.  Reusable fabric checkout bags at no cost to customers as a promotion on 12 or fewer days in a calendar year.

2.  Recycled paper checkout bags or reusable plastic checkout bags at no cost to customers who:

a.  Use a voucher issued under the Women, Infants and Children Program established under ORS 413.500.

b.  Use an electronic benefits transfer card issued by the Department of Human Services.

C.  Except as provided in Subsection 17.103.220 D., a restaurant may not provide:

1.  Single-use checkout bags to customers.

2.  Reusable plastic checkout bags to customers unless the restaurant charges not less than 5 cents for each reusable plastic checkout bag.

D.  A restaurant may provide:

1.  Recycled paper checkout bags at no cost to customers.

2.  Reusable plastic checkout bags at no cost to customers who use an electronic benefits transfer card issued by the Department of Human Services.

(Amended by Ordinance No. 189537, effective July 5, 2019.) As used in Sections 17.103.300 through 17.103.320, the following terms have the following meanings:

A.  “Condiment Packaging” means plastic packaging used to deliver single-serving condiments to customers. This includes but is not limited to single-serving plastic packaging for ketchup, mustard, relish, mayonnaise, hot sauce, coffee creamer, salad dressing, jelly and jam and soy sauce.

B.  “Counter Service” is when food with ordered by the customer at a counter and is either picked up at the counter by the customer or delivered to the table by restaurant staff.

C.  “Customer” means every person who purchases food or beverage that is intended to be consumed using single-use Plastic Serviceware.

D.  “Dine-in” means food and beverage that are intended to be consumed inside the place of business where the food and beverage were purchased, including without limitation cafeterias and food halls.

E.  “Electronic Orders” are food purchases conducted by smart phone, email or the website of a Retail Food and Beverage Establishment.  This includes electronic ordering services that are independent of the retail food and beverage establishment.

F.  “Fast Food” is food that can be prepared quickly and easily and is sold in Retail Food and Beverage Establishments as a quick meal or to be taken out for consumption. Fast food includes drive through, take-out and delivery orders and applies to orders transacted in person, by phone or electronically.

G.  “Cafeterias” are dine-in areas within corporations, government, education and medical institutions. Cafeterias include ones managed by the institution or contracted food services. 

H.  “Plastic Serviceware” means single-use plastic straws, stirrers, Utensils and Condiment Packaging. This includes compostable and biodegradable plastic (petroleum or biologically based polymer) serviceware, but does not include serviceware that are made from non-plastic materials, such as paper, sugar cane, bamboo, etc.

I.  “Retail Food and Beverage Establishments” means any retail business that provides single-use Plastic Serviceware as a component of the product delivery. This includes but is not limited to full service and limited service (or fast food) restaurants, food carts, bars, coffee and tea shops, grocery stores, convenience stores, hotels, motels, caterers and food service contractors.

J.  “Utensils” are single-use plastic utensils intended for consumption of food which include but are not limited to spoons, forks, knives, sporks and chopsticks.

(Amended by Ordinance No. 189537, effective July 5, 2019.)

A.  As of October 1, 2019, all Retail Food and Beverage Establishments and Cafeterias, where beverages may be consumed at Dine-in areas, shall provide Plastic Serviceware only after Customer request.

B.  As of October 1, 2019, all Retail Food and Beverage Establishments and Cafeterias, where Customers order Fast Food, take-out or delivery, shall provide Plastic Serviceware to Customers only after asking if the Customer needs Plastic Serviceware and the Customer responds affirmatively. For Electronic Ordering, the Retail Food and Beverage Establishments are responsible for coordinating with any outside ordering service to prompt the Customer to select Plastic Serviceware.

C.  Exemptions. The following situations are considered exempt from the restriction on single-use Plastic Serviceware:

1.  Cafeterias and Retail Food and Beverage Establishments designed for counter service may allow Customers to access a self-service station for plastic Utensils.

2.  When the Plastic Serviceware is attached to or packaged by the manufacturer with a beverage container before the beverage container is offered for retail sale. For example, juice boxes.

3.  When the product includes an ingredient packaged with single-use Plastic Serviceware. For example, a separate plastic container of dressing included within a larger salad container.

4.  When free or reduced-price meals are provided as part of a social service to vulnerable populations, including without limitation, free or reduced-price meals provided by school systems, homeless shelters and programs that deliver meals to the elderly.

A.  The Director is hereby authorized to administer and enforce the provisions of this Chapter.

B.  The Director is authorized to adopt rules, procedures, and forms to implement the provisions of this Chapter.

1.  Any rule adopted pursuant to this Section shall require a public review process. Not less than 10 nor more than 30 days before such public review process, notice shall be given by publication in a newspaper of general circulation. Such notice shall include the place, time, and purpose of the public review process and the location at which copies of the full set of the proposed rules may be obtained.

2.  During the public review, the Director shall hear testimony or receive written comment concerning the proposed rules. The Director shall review the recommendations, taking into consideration the comments received during the public review process, and shall either adopt the proposed rules, modify or reject them. If a substantial modification is made, the Director shall conduct additional public review, but no additional notice shall be required if such additional review is announced at the meeting at which the modification is made. Unless otherwise stated, all rules shall be effective upon adoption by the Director and shall be filed with the City Auditor’s Portland Policy Documents repository.

3.  An interim rule may be adopted by the Director without prior notice upon a finding that failure to act promptly will result in serious prejudice to the public interest or the interest of the affected parties, including the specific reasons for such prejudice. Any rule adopted pursuant to this paragraph shall be effective for a period of not longer than one year (365 days). Within 5 business days of the adoption of an interim rule, the Director shall send notice of the rule to all of the following, giving the language of the rule change, describing the purpose of the rule, and inviting the submission of comments:

a.  Neighborhood Associations recognized by the City Office of Community & Civic Life;

b.  District Coalitions recognized by the City Office of Community & Civic Life;

c.  Business District Associations identified by the City Office of Community & Civic Life; and

d.  Persons on the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability list of parties interested in administrative rules.

A.  Violations of Chapter 17.103 shall be subject to:

1.  Upon the first violation, the Director shall issue a written warning notice to the violator that a violation has occurred.

2.  Upon subsequent violations, the following penalties shall apply:

a.  $100 for the first violation after the written warning in a calendar year;

b.  $200 for the second violation in the same calendar year; and

c.  $500 for any subsequent violation within the same calendar year.

3.  No more than one penalty shall be imposed upon any single location within a 7-day period.

B.  Upon making a determination that a violation of this code or regulations duly adopted pursuant to this Chapter 17.103 has occurred, the Director will send a written notice of the violation by mail to the violator specifying the violation and the applicable penalty as set forth in Subsection A.

C.  Any violator receiving a notice of violation must pay to the City the stated penalty or appeal the finding of a violation to the Code Hearings Officer in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 22.10.030.