There are practical ways to eliminate the unnecessary use of single-use and takeaway items in your business.
The City has developed resources to support retail businesses in complying with the new Single-Use and Takeaway Items Bylaw, which took effect March 1, 2024, and to help businesses voluntarily eliminate the use of other unnecessary single-use and takeaway items.
On May 23, 2024, City Council adopted the Update on Stage 2 of the Single-Use and Takeaway Items Reduction Strategy, including amendments to the Single-Use and Takeaway Items Bylaw.
The bylaw requires retail business establishment operators to accept the use of a reusable beverage cup by a customer to hold a beverage purchased or obtained at the retail business establishment. If a customer’s reusable beverage cup does not meet the requirements set out in the bylaw, a retail business establishment operator is not required to accept the reusable beverage cup.
Retail business establishments as “food premises operators” must also meet the requirements for reusable items set out in the Food Premises Regulation under the Ontario Health Protection and Promotion Act, in addition to the requirements under the bylaw.
All retail business establishment operators should develop procedures for serving hot and/or cold beverages in reusable beverage cups provided by customers. The procedures must meet the requirements in the bylaw and the Food Premises Regulation. These procedures should address the following areas:
All reusable beverage cups must be:
A retail business establishment operator must refuse to accept a customer’s reusable beverage cup if any of these requirements are not met.
Under the bylaw, retail business establishment operators are not required to accept reusable food containers from customers to hold food purchased or obtained at a retail business establishment. A retail business establishment can decide whether or not to accept reusable food containers from customers.
If a retail business establishment decides to accept reusable food containers from customers, as a “food premises operator,” they must meet the requirements for reusable items set out in the Food Premises Regulation under the Ontario Health Protection and Promotion Act. They should also develop procedures for serving food in reusable food containers provided by their customers that meet the requirements under the Food Premises Regulation.
A retail business establishment is a premise, location, or operation where goods and/or services are offered for sale, such as stores, online businesses, eating or drinking establishments, convenience stores, grocery stores, delicatessens, caterers, mobile food vendors, street vendors, vending machines, book stores, and clothing stores.
A retail business establishment operator is a person who owns, manages, supervises, runs, or controls a retail business establishment and includes a person who owns the premises where the retail business establishment is operated.
A beverage cup is a cup designed to serve hot and/or cold beverages.
A reusable beverage cup is a beverage cup designed to be used more than once, made from durable material, and capable of being washed or disinfected.
This general guidance is for information purposes only. It is not intended to provide legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. The City of Toronto assumes no liability for accuracy or completeness. Retail business establishment operators are responsible for ensuring compliance with Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 702, Single-Use and Takeaway Items, and the Food Premises Regulation under the Ontario Health Protection and Promotion Act.
Review the Reducing Single-Use & Takeaway Items Guide to product alternatives for single-use food and beverage containers and accessory items.
| Description | Translations |
|---|---|
Download the Reducing Single-Use & Takeaway Items Guide  |
Farsi | French | Korean | Portuguese | Russian | Simplified Chinese | Spanish | Tagalog | Tamil | Traditional Chinese | Urdu |
Display these small signs or posters in your business for staff and customers to see and post them to your online ordering platform and social media channels to inform your customers about the new Single-Use and Takeaway Items Bylaw.
| Resource | Translations |
|---|---|
| Download the We Accept Reusable Shopping Bags sign (6″ x 4″) | French Simplified Chinese Spanish Tagalog Tamil Traditional Chinese |
| Download the We Accept Clean Reusable Cups sign (6″ x 4″) | French Simplified Chinese Spanish Tagalog Tamil Traditional Chinese |
| Download the We Accept Clean Reusable Cups poster (8.5″ x 11″) | French Simplified Chinese Spanish Tagalog Tamil Traditional Chinese |
| Download the Poster for Businesses (8.5″ x 11″) | French Simplified Chinese Spanish Tagalog Tamil Traditional Chinese |
| Download the Community Poster (8.5″ x 11″) | French Simplified Chinese Spanish Tagalog Tamil Traditional Chinese |
Here are some practical tips to eliminate the unnecessary use of single-use and takeaway items in your business not covered by the bylaw.
Businesses are responsible for meeting the requirements for reusable items set out in the Food Premises Regulation under the Ontario Health Protection and Promotion Act.
February 22, 2024 from 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
In December 2023, Toronto City Council approved a new Single-Use and Takeaway Items Bylaw that will restrict single-use and takeaway items through measures that include requiring the acceptance of reusable bags and beverage cups and distributing items in an “ask-first/by-request” manner. The goal of this webinar is to provide businesses and the public with a better understanding of the new bylaw and its impacts.
The purpose of the webinar is to:
October 11, 2023 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
City staff facilitated a panel discussion with three Reducing Single-Use program participant service providers:
Each of the panelists shared their expertise on topics including
June 7, 2023 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
City staff presented an interactive webinar about how businesses can effectively reduce their use of single-use and accessory items by switching to more environmentally compatible alternatives, and how some items are problematic in the City of Toronto Blue Bin recycling and Green Bin organics processing systems. The webinar:
January 27, 2023 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Environment and Climate Change Canada 
and City of Toronto staff presented an interactive webinar about the impact of the federal Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations and reducing single-use and takeaway items in your business. The webinar:
November 23, 2022 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Are you interested in moving away from single-use and takeaway items in your business but don’t know where to start?
Are you already reducing single-use items in your business and want to know more about resources that can support your efforts?
City staff: