Did you know that The Surfrider Foundation leads an Ocean Friendly Restaurants Program (OFR) in the United States AND Europe? These programs aim to reduce plastic pollution at the source by helping restaurants eliminate unnecessary single-use plastic. While these programs may be separated by distance, they are connected by the dedicated volunteers and restaurants that participate.
Learn about the program’s similarities and differences from Carla Falhun, Surfrider Europe’s Ocean Friendly Restaurants Program Manager and CJ O’Brien Weddle, Surfrider US’s Ocean Friendly Programs Manager.
Left: Europe OFR Program Map, Right: US OFR Program Map
Program History
In the United States
Ocean Friendly Restaurants first launched in the United States in 2013 with Surfrider's Huntington Beach, CA Chapter. The program quickly expanded throughout Southern California and Hawai’i, becoming a nationally recognized program in 2018. Now, we have over 590 restaurants participating in 32 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands serving over 38 million single-use plastic-free meals.
In Europe
Ocean Friendly Restaurants was implemented in Europe in 2018 by adapting the original program launched by Surfrider U.S. for a more European context. Now, we have 131 restaurants participating in 7 countries: France, Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, Portugal, Spain, and Bulgaria.
Ocean Friendly Restaurant, Lowlander Botanical Bar & Restaurant in Amsterdam, Netherlands. PC: Lowlander Facebook Page
Legislative Context - Plastic Reduction Laws
The biggest difference between the two OFR Programs, is that Europe passed a plastic directive, focused on eliminating single-use plastic across European Union countries, whereas plastic reduction laws are led by states and locally in the United States. This is important to note, as it shapes the criteria for the program
In Europe
In 2020, Europe passed the single use plastic directive, Packaging Waste Regulation, Anti-Waste Law for a Circular Economy Law. This bill aims to combat food waste and encourage more sustainable waste management, while also implying a change in production and supply methods. The promotion of sustainable, high-quality food ingredients is also one of the law's priorities.
Since January 1, 2023, the law has banned disposable foodware for fast-food chains for onsite dining. France is one of the best performers in the implementation of the Single-Use Plastic Directive, which bans (within the European Union) many single-use plastics designed to be thrown away quickly after use. Among its objectives, France is committed to reducing single-use plastic packaging by 20% by the end of 2025, in part through the use of reuse and recycling.
All Ocean Friendly Restaurants in Europe are subject to increasing restrictions, requiring Surfrider to provide greater support to ensure the sustainable transformation of their actions. However, these European regulations are not being applied equally in all countries. Some are significantly behind schedule, making little effort to reduce the use of single-use plastics beyond the minimum obligations imposed by the directive. Awareness-raising campaigns and their impact are also very uneven across countries, influencing the behavior change behind them.
Surfrider Europe advocating for waste reduction and ocean protection in Brussels. PC: Surfrider Europe
In the United States
Overall, the United States lags behind Europe in plastic reduction policies at the national level. Rather leadership on this issue has been taken up by individual states and cities. So far, twelve states including California and Oregon have banned plastic bags. About eleven states have banned expanded polystyrene foodware, including Maine, Rhode Island, and Washington. New Hampshire, Illinois, California, and other states require straws to only be provided upon request. New York, California, and Washington have banned mini hotel toiletry bottles. Ten states, including Florida, have banned intentional release of balloons. Plus hundreds of cities have banned various plastic items at the local level. You can explore the Global Plastic Laws Database: a tracking tool that Surfrider is leading the charge on for US laws.
Since 2007, the Surfrider Foundation’s dedicated grassroots activists have helped pass over 370 plastic pollution prevention laws at the local, state, and federal levels! Our Ocean Friendly Restaurants are a huge part of that as well, showcasing a community of businesses that are voluntarily eliminating single-use plastic in their operations. We’ve even had restaurant owners testify in support of plastic reduction policies at local city council meetings and sign comment letters urging legislators to take action to reduce plastic pollution.
Since there is not a national directive to ban single-use plastic, Ocean Friendly Restaurants in different states have different single-use plastic regulations required of them. Additionally, states have their own political and cultural contexts, but Ocean Friendly Restaurants is an effective program to talk about and showcase plastic pollution prevention in action anywhere. With over 80 chapters and 100 student clubs across the country, Surfrider is uniquely positioned to support businesses in their community transition away from single-use plastic. Surfrider supports restaurants by providing a simple and straightforward framework and resources to help them make the best choices for their businesses.
Surfrider US advocating for policies to protect out coasts, fight for clean water, and reduce plastic pollution at our Annual Coastal Recreation Hill Day in Washington, DC. PC: Surfrider US
Global
Both Surfrider Europe and Surfrider US are advocating for a strong Global Plastics Treaty!
Program Criteria
Both programs have similar criteria focused at eliminating styrofoam, plastic bottles, and encouraging reuse and refill. However, some of the criteria differ based on the unique political landscapes mentioned above.
Foodware found at beach cleanups. PC: From Surfrider's Comprehensive Foodware Policy Toolkit
In the United States
This criteria was developed based on the single-use plastic items most commonly found at Surfrider’s beach cleanups and the foodware policy landscape across the US. Throughout the years, we have strengthened the criteria and plan to continue to do so as the landscape changes and alternative options become more readily available on the market. We want to ensure the criteria can apply to all states across the country, while also moving the needle on single-use plastic reduction in business operations.
Restaurants must follow 7 mandatory criteria:
- Only reusable foodware is used for onsite dining.
- Paper or naturally occurring straws are provided only upon request.
- No expanded polystyrene use (aka Styrofoam).
- No plastic bags are used for takeout or to-go orders.
- Single-use utensils, straws, condiments, and other accessory items are provided only upon request.
- Beverages are not sold in plastic bottles.
- Proper recycling practices are followed.
Then choose at least 3 optional criteria:
- A discount is offered for customers with a reusable item.
- Vegetarian and vegan food options are offered on a regular basis.
- All seafood is ‘Best Choice’ or ‘Good Alternative’ as defined by Seafood Watch, or certified sustainable.
- Water conservation and pollution mitigation efforts are implemented.
- Energy efficiency efforts are in place.
- Concessions and pre-packaged food items are not sold in plastic packaging.
- Composting efforts are in place for food waste.
- Neither single-use plastic nor bio-based plastic containers are used for takeout or to-go orders, reusable containers preferred
Ocean Friendly Restaurant, Collab Cafe in Kauai, HI. PC: Surfrider Kauai Chapter Instagram
In Europe
The criteria in Europe aligns with the Single-Use Plastic Directive: focusing on waste, transportation of goods, production methods, and supply chains. It takes into account all the negative impacts linked to catering activities, in order to rethink the environmental management of establishments in a global approach, and not just by focusing on waste management. Additionally, the criteria responds to a real demand from consumers to choose eco-responsible restaurants, encouraging them to embark on a process of continuous improvement. Since our program operates across many different countries, we also wanted to provide a variety of options and ideas for the optional criteria element.
Restaurants must follow 9 mandatory criteria:
- No expanded polystyrene or single-use plastic use
- Most dishes are made with local, season, or organic products
- No endangered species on the menu
- No use of plastic bottles for beverages onsite
- Recycling practices and waste sorting are followed
- Biowaste is sorted and recycled
- Ashtrays or trash cans available outside of restaurant
- Eco-friendly cleaning products are used
- At least one vegetarian option is on the menu
Then must choose at least 7 optional criteria:
- No use of plastic bottle for beverages, including take away
- Free tap/fountain water at the consumers disposal
- The client’s reusable container can be used for taking away or remaining food
- Practices to reduce the packaging of the foo for what concerns provider’s chain
- Vegan option in the menu
- No more paper communication (flyers, posters, etc.)
- Energy recovery system installed
- Water-saving devices are in place: flow-regulating aerators…
- Use or purchase of renewable energy
- Awareness-raising posters on water, energy, waste and the carbon impact of transporting food products are available (optimal use of cooking appliances: lids, multi-cooking ovens, etc.)
- No single-use napkins
- Put sign in toilets to invite people to throw only paper in the toilets
- No single-use towels in the toilets
- Organize a Surfrider action or event close to or in the restaurant (organize an Ocean Initiative, hosting an “Apér’Océan” of the local Surfrider group etc.)
- Fishes proposed at the menu comes from sustainable fishing
- None of my equipment as Teflon
- Crockery and/or furniture bought second-hand (mostly)
- A lighting control system is installed in toilets, staff rooms (stock, cold room, etc.)
- Initiatives to combat food waste are in place
- No use of plastic containers to heat food
- Using an alternative to cling-film in the kitchen
Ocean Friendly Restaurant in Germany. PC: Ocean Friendly Restaurant Germany Facebook
Program Challenges and How We Overcome Them
In Europe
Cost can be a challenge for European restaurant owners and customers alike. For restaurant owners, there are costs associated with compliance and extra efforts required to adapt to the ecological transition of the sector. In addition, the inflationary economic context does not encourage consumers to pay more for a meal prepared with quality products, despite widespread awareness of the environmental and social issues linked to sustainable food. This requires us to recreate links between stakeholders and put ecology back at the heart of our consumer choices.
Additionally, not all countries in Europe are at the same stage of the environmental process and mandatory obligations on packaging vary according to the means and awareness of each country. It is therefore more difficult to apply the criteria in certain countries where plastic use is widespread and waste management systems are not efficient or well developed. Harmonization of the charter at European level has led to disparities in its application, which partly explains the increase in the number of OFR in some countries, where regulations are more restrictive and collective awareness of environmental issues is growing.
Both the US and Europe advocate for reusables as the best foodware option
In the United States
Cost can be a challenge for restaurants in the United States as well. Single-use plastic products are cheaper than non-plastic alternatives and sometimes the cost of buying plastic-free alternatives or reusables is too high for business owners. Recycling continues to be an unreliable form of waste management in the U.S. and in 2021, the recycling rate fell to 5-6%. Most cities still do not have industrial compost facilities required to dispose of certain compostable or bioplastic products. Another big challenge is “greenwashing,” which occurs when companies label and market products as environmentally friendly without actually providing an environmental benefit. Restaurants can be overwhelmed by the different labels and to add insult to injury, these greenwashing products cost businesses more.
Thankfully, Surfrider has a plethora of resources to help restaurants overcome these challenges. First and foremost, the Ocean Friendly Restaurants Program is completely free to join. We recently published an Ocean Friendly Foodware Guide 2.0 designed to equip restaurants with tools to avoid greenwashing and choose the best Ocean Friendly products for their businesses. Surfrider also works with brands that offer naturally-occurring and sustainable foodware products to provide exclusive discounts for our Ocean Friendly Restaurants.
We’ve also published case studies that show how eliminating single-use plastic can save restaurants money. For example, The Tiny Turtle in Cocoa Beach, FL saves over $3,000 a year by only offering paper straws upon request. Mitch’s Seafood in San Diego, California saves over $4,000 a year by switching from plastic disposable ramekins and wine glasses to reusables. While the upfront cost of reusables or paper alternatives might cost more, it can save restaurants money in the long run.
Ocean Friendly Hotel, Twelve Senses Retreat in San Diego, CA. PC: Surfrider San Diego Chapter
What’s Next For the Program?
In the United States
Our goal is to reach 700 participating restaurants by the end of 2025 and increase business participation in our policy work. Just last month, 49 OFRs signed a comment letter urging the State of California to move forward with a landmark plastic reduction bill. We hope to keep this momentum going to pass strong plastic reduction policies.
Surfrider just launched an Ocean Friendly Hotels Program which aims to help hotels reduce single-use plastic and showcase even more businesses that are turning the tide on plastic pollution. We already have 27 hotels participating in 6 states that save about 1 million plastic water bottles and 1.6 million mini toiletry bottles a year. We hope to welcome 100 hotels in the next 5 years.
In Europe
Our objective is to strengthen the OFR community at the local level in order to allow restaurant owners to share best practices and be inspired by one another, and raise greater awareness among consumers.
Is your local restaurant Ocean Friendly? If not, encourage them to sign up and join the movement to end single-use plastics!
Want to help Surfrider stop plastic pollution at the source? Consider donating today!