D.C. businesses can be fined for offering plastic straws to customers starting next Monday.
The D.C. Department of Energy and Environment will be able to fine businesses providing single-use plastic straws to customers between $100 and $800 per violation starting July 1, DCist reported Tuesday. The District’s law banning businesses from dispensing plastic straws went into effect earlier this year, but the DOEE is limited to issuing unofficial warnings to noncompliant businesses until next week.
Businesses must retain some plastic straws for customers with disabilities to remain compliant with the D.C. Human Rights Act and Americans with Disabilities Act, according to the DOEE’s website.
The straw ban is part of the District’s effort to reduce waste by 80 percent by 2032, the DOEE’s website states.