With restaurants relying on takeout services to stay afloat during the coronavirus pandemic, to-go containers and plastic utensils are piling up in landfills. That includes most of the so-called eco-friendly products many Portland restauranteurs use in place of more traditional disposable items.
Vinh Wong, the owner of Pho Van and Pho Van Fresh, said he relies on bamboo and paper products, although it is hard to find options that do not contain plastic or other chemicals. “Everything is so new right now,” Wong said. “I’m just going off of what works and what doesn’t work.”
Wong said he plans to reincorporate reusable serviceware once Multnomah County enters Phase 1 of the state’s reopening plan. While the Oregon Health Authority does not require restaurants to continue using disposable serviceware for dine-in services, it does require employees to wear gloves, which must be thrown away after use.
Health officials also require restaurants use single-service condiments and menus or employ stringent cleaning methods between each customer. Wong said at Pho Van Fresh, he already has a chalkboard menu that eliminates the need for contact.
Products like takeout containers, gloves and disinfectant wipes are in the highest demand right now, said Tony Nicola, president of Merchants Paper Co. His company is a wholesaler that supplies the local food service industry. He said while some business owners seek out eco-friendly products, others are just doing what they can to stay open.
“Right now, there’s such a high demand that a lot of people are just taking what they can get,” Nicola said. “It’s a constant battle of keeping inventory at the levels we want, primarily because a lot of the product comes from China.”
Although many restaurateurs strive to be eco-friendly, labels on the products they buy can be misleading. For example, most products labeled “recyclable” still have plastic linings or other chemicals that make them resilient, so they cannot be recycled in the Portland metro area. Round plastic containers, used for foods like soups and curries, are the only plastic products that can be recycled in Portland. Aluminum foil, if rinsed off, is also recyclable.