Under the state's new "Skip the Stuff" law, restaurants can no longer automatically include many common single-use items such as plastic utensils, condiment packets and plastic straws. Under the new rules, food service businesses may provide single-use utensils, condiment packets and plastic straws only when customers specifically request them. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) says the goal is simple: "Reduce waste by only taking what you actually need." According to NJDEP guidance, businesses now can’t automatically add single-use utensils, plastic straws, or condiment packets to orders. The agency also notes that single-use plastic utensils can shed microplastics, which may enter the food people consume.