Microplastics have been linked to multiple health issues, and more potentially toxic plastics likely accumulate in our bodies every day. The program being launched by the Department of Health and Human Services is a major first step in addressing the issue.

The law, which stipulates that takeout restaurants can’t provide plastic cutlery or condiment packets unless a customer asks for them, joins efforts in many other states to curb the amount of plastic waste our country creates each year.

With states and cities across the country banning plastic cutlery, bags, and more, the question stands: Whose responsibility is it to say what businesses can and cannot sell to their customers?