2023 Waste Reduction Resources

Check out the resources below to help your retail food service establishment comply with the 2023 waste reduction regulations in the City of Bainbridge Island. A list of frequently asked questions is also available as a PDF and will be updated as new questions are received. 

• Onsite dining requirements (PDF - English)
• Requisitos para comer en el lugar (PDF - Spanish) 
• To-go food and beverage container requirements (PDF - English)  
• Contenedores para llevar (PDF - Spanish)
• Why reduce single-use plastic waste? (PDF - English)
• ¿Por qué reducir los plásticos de un solo uso? (PDF - Spanish) 

Can businesses use up existing products that are not home compostable? 

Businesses were given permission to request an additional 3-month extension to use up their existing supply of non-home compostable food and beverage packaging for to-go orders (through June 30, 2023). The application closed on April 14, 2023. 17 businesses were granted the 3-month extension. As of July 1, 2023, all food retail businesses on the island should be using home compostable products for disposable food service ware unless a product has received a temporary exemption from the City. 

Purchasing Guide for Retail Food Establishments

View example, compliant options for disposable, home compostable food service ware, reusable options, and available discounts for local businesses. This guide also includes a list of temporarily exempted products (i.e., those products for which there are not currently at least two readily available home compostable alternatives). 

Purchasing Guide (Excel file will automatically download)

Please note: 

• This guide has multiple tabs located at the bottom of the Excel file. 
• This guide does not provide an exhaustive list of all compliant product options. It provides a sample of compliant product options currently available in the market. 

Requesting a Waiver for Onsite, Reusable Food Service Ware Requirements

Businesses without onsite or off-site dishwashing capacity may petition the City for a full or partial one-year waiver. The business must demonstrate an inability to comply due to insurmountable space constraints, undue financial hardship, and/or other extraordinary circumstances. Waivers may be granted for a partial or full one year term. Granting of a waiver is at the sole discretion of the City Manager or their designee and is not subject to appeal.

Onsite Dining- Waiver Request Form (PDF - English); Please visit City Hall if you prefer a physical copy

Information Regarding Reusable Cups and Containers  

Reusable Cups: Customers may provide their own reusable cups for beverage service in accordance with the Retail Food Code, WAC 246-215-03348. Reusable cups must be clean, sturdy, and appropriately insulated if ordering hot beverages. 

Reusable Containers for Food: Retail food establishments may not refill consumer-owned containers* without a written, approved plan as required in the Retail Food Code, WAC 246-215-03348. Food establishments can submit a written plan for Kitsap County's health inspector to approve to allow consumers and employees to refill visibly clean consumer-owned containers with food. Visit the Washington State Department of Health website to complete a plan for the refilling of consumer-owned containers. Review guidance from the Kitsap Public Health District on refilling reusable containers to learn more. 

*Exceptions: 

• A written, approved plan is not required for retail food establishments to refill a consumer-owned beverage container if a contamination-free dispensing system is used by an employee or the customer; if the container is returned to the same customer; if the container can be rinsed with fresh, running hot water at the food service establishment; or if a container of any kind is refilled at a water vending station. 
• A separate plan is not required for dine-in customers to fill a personal container with their portioned meal from their individual meal service (such as a dinner entrée on their plate). 

Please contact ZeroWaste@bainbridgewa.gov with questions or for more information.

Temporarily Exempted Products

The following is a list of disposable food service ware items that are temporarily exempt from the home compostable requirement (as of April 6, 2023). All items are exempted from the home compostable requirements until December 31, 2023. This list will be updated as requests are received and reviewed. 

*Indicates items that City staff pre-selected for temporary exemptions based on an initial review of home compostable product options.

Does your business have a product that needs to file for a temporary exemption?

Businesses may request a temporary exemption for any product that does not have at least two vendors that make readily available home compostable alternatives. Granting of a temporary exemption is at the sole discretion of the City Manager or their designee and is not subject to appeal. Please fill out the form below to request a temporary exemption. 

Temporary Exemption for Home Compostable Products (Microsoft form)

Temporary Exemption for Home Compostable Products  (PDF - English); Please visit City Hall if you prefer a physical copy 

Products to Use if Granted a Temporary Exemption 

Any replacement for an item that is temporarily exempt MUST be: 

1. certified to be compostable in an industrial composting facility in a timely manner (i.e., look for BPI/CMA certification) and/or
2. eligible to be accepted for recycling by your establishment's recycling and/or compost collection service. 

To view potential alternative products, please open the "Home Compostable Disposables" tab in the Purchasing Guide and scroll down for more information on alternatives for temporarily exempted items. Please note, expanded polystyrene-based food service ware (i.e., plastics #6 and Styrofoam) is not allowed for any prepared food.

Requesting a Waiver for Onsite, Reusable Food Service Ware Requirements

Businesses without onsite or off-site dishwashing capacity may petition the City for a full or partial one-year waiver. The business must demonstrate an inability to comply due to insurmountable space constraints, undue financial hardship, and/or other extraordinary circumstances. Waivers may be granted for a partial or full one year term. Granting of a waiver is at the sole discretion of the City Manager or their designee and is not subject to appeal. To request a temporary waiver, please complete the form below. 

Onsite Dining- Waiver Request Form (PDF - English); Please visit City Hall if you prefer a physical copy

Businesses with Waivers for Onsite Dining:

• Town & Country Market (until July 31, 2023)
• Bainbridge Cinemas (until December 31, 2023)
• Lynwood Cinemas (until December 31, 2023)
• McDonalds (until May 31, 2023)
• Bainbridge Island Farmer's Market (until November 30, 2023)
• Arts and Humanities Bainbridge's Moonlight Market (until October 7, 2023)

As of January 1, 2023, all single-use food service items must be home compostable. Single-use food service products can only be provided for offsite dining and include:

• Utensils
• Straws
• Condiments in packaging
• Beverage cup lids (beverage cup lids for hot beverages or beverages for delivery, drive-thru, or curbside pickup are still allowed without customer request)

On September 12, 2023, City Council adopted Ordinance 2023-24 amending BIMC 8.24, Disposable Food Service Ware and Waste Reduction. Please note that:

• Businesses can leave out bins with single-use food service items for customers to take on their own (after they affirm they want them). 
• Single-use food service items can’t automatically be placed in to-go orders but are available for customers who ask for them or respond “yes” to a business offering them.
• Single-use food service items are still available for customers who ask for them or respond “yes” to a business offering them but only for to-go orders. 

Effective January 1, 2023:

• the distribution of single-use personal care products not packaged in “home compostable packaging” is prohibited in lodging establishments
• the use of refillable dispensers for personal care products is encouraged in lodging establishments

Check out the resources below to help your lodging establishment comply with the 2023 waste reduction regulations in the City of Bainbridge Island. 

• Personal care product packaging requirements (PDF - English) 
• Establecimientos de hospedaje - productos de cuidado personal (PDF - Spanish)
• Why reduce single-use plastic waste? (PDF - English)
• ¿Por qué reducir los plásticos de un solo uso? (PDF - Spanish)

Purchasing Guide for Lodging Establishments

View example, compliant options for personal care products with home compostable packaging and refillable, reusable options. 

Purchasing Guide  (Excel file will automatically download)

Please note: 

• This guide has multiple tabs located at the bottom of the Excel file. 
• This guide does not provide an exhaustive list of all compliant product options. It provides a sample of compliant product options currently available in the market. 

Please contact ZeroWaste@bainbridgewa.gov with questions or for more information.

City Council adopted new regulations to reduce single-use plastic waste, effective January 1, 2023. These regulations are intended to: 

• Reduce single-use plastic waste
• Improve the health and safety of our community members
• Keep our waterways clean and safe

Learn more about what PFAS are and why they are bad for you (PDF - English). 

Properly Dispose of To-Go Food Containers

As of January 1, 2023, all to-go food service ware items at retail food establishments on Bainbridge Island must be home compostable (i.e., able to break down in your backyard compost bin). These items can be placed in your home compost pile or your Bainbridge Disposal yard waste cart. 

While there are lots of home compostable products available, there aren’t home compostable options for every type of container used to transport to-go food and beverage items. The City has granted temporary exemptions for those products where there are not at least two vendors that make suitable and readily commercially available home compostable alternatives. You can view a list of temporarily exempted products in the Temporary Exemptions tab in the Purchasing Guide (this Excel spreadsheet will automatically download).  

Products that have received a temporary exemption must be certified to be compostable in an industrial composting facility in a timely manner and/or eligible to be accepted for recycling. These products cannot be placed in your Bainbridge Disposal yard waste cart. The resources below provide guidance on which products can be recycled or composted on Bainbridge Island. 

• Bainbridge Disposal Residential Curbside Recycling Guide
• Bainbridge Disposal Residential Curbside Compost and Yard Waste Guide 
• Sustainable Bainbridge’s Recycling Resources (explore specialty item reuse and recycling options, including Ridwell)
• Recycling Right in Kitsap County

When in Doubt, Find Out! If you are unsure whether a product can be recycled or composted, check with Bainbridge Disposal using the links above. 

Concerned a business may not be in compliance with the new waste reduction regulations?

You can report businesses that don’t appear to be following the new waste reduction regulations by submitting a report of non-compliance on See, Click, Fix.

Before you submit a report, please note:

• The City adopted Ordinance 2023-24 amending BIMC 8.24, Disposable Food Service Ware and Waste Reduction on September 12, 2023. Key changes include: 
  • Eliminated the 25 cent disposable cup fee. Food retail establishments on the Island are no longer required to charge a 25 cent disposable cup fee for each disposable, home compostable beverage cup provided to customers for off-premises dining. 
  • Changed from a process that requires all disposable food service ware be home compostable to a limited list of home compostable products required each year with products on the list evaluated based on availability, cost and performance. Note: the new list of required products in a home compostable form is not yet available. Businesses should continue to use home compostable products for all disposable food service ware unless an item has received a temporary exemption through the end of 2023. 
  • Added an exemption for the use of metal foil, metal foil-faced papers and engineered composite papers used to wrap hot food such as hamburgers and burritos (i.e., these materials are not required to be home compostable).
  • Removed language prohibiting retail food establishments from making the products listed in BIMC 8.24.025 available to customers in cylinders, bins, dispensers, containers or other means on a self-service basis. Businesses must still affirm customers want these items but can leave them out for self-service after affirmation.
  • Removed beverage cups from the list of items requiring customer affirmation.  
• Some to-go containers have been granted temporary exemptions for the home compostable requirements due to a lack of readily available products. To find a list of products that have been granted a temporary exemption, please see the Temporarily Exempted Products section above. 
• Businesses may also request a temporary waiver for the reusable food service ware requirements for onsite dining. Please see the Temporary Waivers for Onsite Dining Requirements section above for a list of businesses currently granted a temporary waiver. 

Have questions? Contact ZeroWaste@bainbridgewa.gov.