University of California, San Diego
IN-32: Single-Use Plastic Ban

UC San Diego, in alignment with the UC Sustainable Practices Policy and the State of California’s Zero Waste goals is committed to the reduction and elimination of single-use items.  

The policy and UC San Diego changes are as follows: 

a. The distribution of plastic bags is prohibited in all retail and foodservice establishments in campus facilities or located on University owned land. 

 At UCSD plastic bags in retail and food service establishments were eliminated as of Jan. 1, 2021. 

b. Replace disposable single-use plastic foodware accessory items in all foodservice facilities with reusables or locally compostable alternatives and provide only upon request no later than July 1, 2024.  

In compliance with AB 1276 UC San Diego moved all single-use foodware and accessories behind the counter and are only available by request only.  

c. Provide reusable foodware items for food consumed onsite at dine-in facilities and to-go facilities no later than July 1, 2024.  

Dining Services implemented the Triton2GO program in 2020 in order to help eliminate single use take-out containers and move us closer to the University’s Zero Waste goals. The average life of a Triton2Go box is 300 uses, and the box will be recycled at the end of its lifecycle. Triton2Go Program (ucsd.edu) 

d. Replace single-use plastic foodware items with reusable or locally compostable alternatives at to-go facilities no later than July 1, 2024. 

HDH catering has improved procurement by purchasing compostable materials tested and approved in the anerobic digestion facility the campus uses. This change in purchasing compostable materials was executed in Spring Quarter 2024. 

e. Phase out the procurement, sale and distribution of single-use plastic beverage bottles. Non-plastic alternatives will be locally recyclable or compostable.  

To support this change, UC San Diego has provided the campus with 84 water bottle refill stations. A map of accessible hydration stations is maintained online. UC San Diego Hydration Locations - Google My Maps 

This Policy section (III.F.4.) also applies to third-party foodservice facilities that lease University of California – Policy Sustainable Practices 16 of 45 space or provide contracted services at locations. Locations will include these Policy provisions in lease language as new leases and contracts are negotiated or existing leases are renewed and work to incorporate these practices, as much as possible, within the timeframe of current leases. When procuring catering services, where possible, select providers that can provide alternatives to single-use plastics.  

UC San Diego’s real estate team has drafted lease verbiage to incorporate zero waste requirement to its tenants. As a result, two vendors on campus made the switch from plastic clam shells to fiber based compostable containers.