Beginning July 1, 2025, Illinois will become the first Great Lakes state to enact a sweeping ban on small, single-use plastic bottles in hotels with 50 or more rooms.

The law, officially known as the Small Single-Use Plastic Bottle Act (SB2960), was signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker last August and is designed to curb the environmental impact of disposable plastics commonly found in hotel bathrooms.

Starting July 1, these establishments are prohibited from providing small, single-use plastic bottles (less than 6 ounces) containing personal care products, such as shampoo, conditioner, and bath soap, in guest rooms or public/shared bathrooms. By January 1, 2026, the ban will extend to all hotels in Illinois, regardless of size.

Hotels may still offer these products in small plastic bottles upon request, but only in locations outside of guest rooms and public bathrooms.

Many large hotel chains, such as Marriott and Hyatt, have already begun phasing out single-use plastic toiletry bottles in favor of refillable dispensers or larger, recyclable containers. The Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association and the Illinois Recycling Association supported the legislation, citing both environmental and economic benefits.

The law also restricts local governments from enacting conflicting regulations, ensuring uniformity across the state.