Join the Lake Friendly Movement
City of Milwaukee Straw Legislation
In November 2019, the Milwaukee Common Council voted on new legislation to reduce the consumption of single-use plastic straws in our community. This legislation took effect on April 14, 2020. See below for full legislation language:
68-32. Single-Use, Plastic Straws.
1. PROHIBITED. Effective April 14, 2020, no food establishment may provide any customer with a single-use, plastic straw, where “single-use” means a product that is designed and intended to be used only once and is generally recognized by the public as an item that is to be discarded after one use.
2. EXEMPTIONS. Subsection 1 shall not prohibit:
a. Prepackaged individual serving beverages where a small plastic straw is included in the packaging.
b. The provision of a plastic beverage straw to a customer upon request of a plastic beverage straw by the customer.
c. The provision of a plastic beverage straw to a customer receiving a viscous beverage, such as a milkshake or smoothie, that requires a large, durable straw, for which a non-plastic straw would not be suitable.
d. The provision of any other approved compostable straw as determined by the environmental sustainability director. The environmental sustainability director shall maintain a list of acceptable compostable straws.
Acceptable Straw Materials
The Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) is North America's leading certifier of compostable products. While plastic straws may only be provided upon request, reusable straws of any material and single-use BPI-Certified biodegradable straws may be offered at any time. These materials include (but are not limited to) bagasse, paper, bamboo, and vegetable-based plastic alternatives (like "PLA").
We recommend you consult both your regular material supplier and BPI's Online Database to find the alternative products that work best for your business.
Straws and Accessibility
Many individuals in our community require straws to drink due to a wide variety of strength, mobility, and other medical concerns. Unfortunately, many compostable options are not always viable solutions. Those who require straws need them in both hot and cold beverages. Metal straws will heat up in coffee. Paper straws pose choking hazards for some individuals. Some individuals require more flexible or soft materials than glass or bamboo straws.
This legislation was created specifically with these individuals in mind. Single-use plastic straws can and should be available for those who request them. These disabilities are not always visible-- if someone requests a plastic straw, trust they know what's best for their bodies and respect their request.
Lake Friendly Business Program
The Lake Friendly Business Program was created in collaboration with a local movement called Plastic-Free MKE to help local business owners make the switch from styrofoam and other single-use plastics to more sustainable materials. Businesses that pledge to be Lake Friendly will be paired with a trained volunteer to audit your current practices and help you make the switch to reusable, compostable, and recyclable materials. Those that successfully meet the Lake Friendly criteria will receive a Lake Friendly window decal, marketing materials, and promotion from Plastic-Free MKE.
Your business doesn't need to be by the lake or a river to see the benefits of being Lake Friendly. With a growing awareness of the damage plastic pollution causes our city (and our planet) consumers are looking to find and support local businesses doing their part.
Click here to check out a list of our Lake Friendly Business Program.
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Lake Friendly Business Program Requirements: 
1. Provide Reusable Tableware: No single-use plastic is present anywhere on the table. This includes cups, straws, stirrers, and condiments. Use this guide to start your switch to reusable tableware!
2. No Styrofoam: Expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam, a type of plastic typically used for inexpensive, disposable products (such as cups, plates, clamshels, etc.), is often found in the majority of environmental cleanups. EPS foam impacts animal life, ecosystems, rivers, and lakes.
3. Follow Proper Recycling Practices Back of House: Ensure that all recyclables are recycled. Refer to the City of Milwaukee recycling guidelines. Note that the Department of Natural Resources has banned certain items, including plastics #1 and #2, from landfills statewide.
4. Provide Compostable Straws/Stirrers Only on Request: This results in a huge reduction, breaks habits, and makes use of straws/stirrers unfashionable.
5. Provide Compostable Options for To-Go Orders: Bagasse (is a tree-free paper product made from plant fiber) is the ideal option because it can be composted at home. Plant-based plastic (Polylactic acid, or PLA) is the next best option (requires hot composting). Only give compostable or paper cutlery and condiments on request. The majority of materials must be compostable, or if using plastic, they must be recyclable. This guide is helpful in considering environmentally-friendly disposable options.
6. No Plastic Bags for To-Go Orders: Americans use 100 billion plastic bags a year and only 1% are returned for recycling. Over 100,000 marine animals are killed by bags each year! Bags should only be given on request and should be made fom paper or another renewable resource.
As part of the program, Plastic-Free MKE also requires businesses to choose from the following:
- Compost all back of house food waste
- Compost all front of house food waste
- No beverages sold in plastic bottles
- Provide and display discount for customers bringing their own mugs or beverage containers
- Install and maintain a cigarette butt receptacle outside of your business, with educational signage from the Milwaukee Tobacco Free Alliance's Hold On To Your Butt MKE campaign.
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Benefits of Becoming a Lake Friendly Business
Becoming Lake Friendly is about more than just protecting the environment-- it's about showcasing your commitment to a clean and healthy community. This program can help you make the most out of doing the right thing.
- Increased business from customers who care.
- Recognition as part of a larger movement.
- A listing on Plastic-Free MKE's website and promotion through social media.
- Lake Friendly marketing materials.
- Use of the Lake Friendly logo to showcase your business.
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For more information or to set up a consultation, check out Plastic-Free MKE's website or set up a Lake Friendly consultation at info@PlasticFreeMKE.org.
Preemption in Wisconsin, or "the Ban on Bans"
More and more cities around the globe are turning towards bans, fees, taxes, or other legislative means to reduce their community's consumption of single-use plastics. However, in Wisconsin, we have what's called "preemption," commonly referred to as a "ban on bans," prohibiting the City of Milwaukee and other local governments from making legislative decisions about our own community with regard to plastic bags, cups, and other single-use containers. Wisconsin is currently one of 13 states with full preemption. Read the full details of the legislation below.
2015 Assembly Bill 730
This bill limits the authority of a political subdivision (a city, village, town, or county) to regulate auxiliary containers. “Auxiliary container” is defined as “a bag, cup, bottle, or other packaging that is designed to be reusable or single-use; that is made of cloth, paper, plastic, cardboard, corrugated material, aluminum, glass, postconsumer recycled material, or similar material or substrates, including coated, laminated, or multi-layer substrates; and that is designed for transporting or protecting merchandise, food, or beverages from a food service or retail facility.” Specifically, with certain exceptions, a political subdivision may not 1) enact or enforce an ordinance regulating the use, disposition, or sale of auxiliary containers, 2) prohibit or restrict auxiliary containers, or 3) impose a fee, charge, or surcharge on auxiliary containers.