Metro East food service providers are now barred from using latex gloves as a new state law takes effect.
The Illinois General Assembly passed the Latex Glove Ban Act this year, which Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law in June. The goal of the new law is to protect workers and customers who may be allergic to latex.
does carve out exceptions, but they must be 鈥渄ue to a crisis that interrupts a food service establishment鈥檚 ability to source nonlatex gloves.鈥� If latex gloves are used, a sign must be prominently displayed.
Glenn Beaubien, who owns State Street Market in Alton, is one of the restaurant owners who鈥檚 made the switch from latex.
The fine dining restaurant in the city鈥檚 downtown got notice of the change from the Illinois Department of Public Health about one month ago, Beaubien said. The restaurant has since switched to vinyl.
鈥淟atex (gloves) are more expensive than vinyl gloves. So from a cost perspective, that's a better win for us,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he vinyl gloves aren't as tight fitting, so they're a tad bit more cumbersome to use, but it still is a vehicle to ensure that we鈥檙e working cleanly.鈥�
Beaubien said he was a little surprised to read about the change in a letter.
In his eyes, kitchens with a good handwashing culture are just as effective. He said he鈥檚 worked in states where gloves aren鈥檛 required.
鈥淚t worked very well,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e had a timer set. When the timer went off, everyone, for the most part, would stop doing what they were doing, and they would line up at the hand sink.鈥�
That鈥檚 not to say gloves aren鈥檛 as safe, he said.
Starting in 2024, the latex ban will also apply to health care settings 鈥� many of which have already made the switch.
In health care, people who have repeated exposures to latex, generally, are the most likely to develop an allergy, said Maya Jerath, the clinical director of Washington University鈥檚 Division of Allergy and Immunology.
鈥淭hat could be health care workers, or, for example, children who have been in the health care system a lot because they're born with some kind of a chronic condition that requires them to have multiple surgeries,鈥� Jerath said.
While she doesn鈥檛 have experience in the food service industry, she said it would be safe to assume the same could be true: The employees who鈥檝e worn latex regularly would likely be the most at risk to develop an allergy.
Sam Toia, president and CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association, said the new law fits the direction the food service industry is heading.
鈥淔or the most part, most of these are restaurants, providers, they've already moved away from latex gloves,鈥� Toia said.
Food service is one of the most regulated industries, Toia said, so restaurants are naturally sensitive to their customers' allergies, prompting a move by many away from latex.
He said he was happy to see state lawmakers include the provision that allows latex to be used in a bind.
鈥淲e鈥檇 always rather be at the table than on the menu,鈥� he said.
At least seven other states have similar latex bans: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Ohio, Oregon and Rhode Island.
Whether this is something that should be legislated by state lawmakers is another issue, Jerath said. The scientific evidence to move away from latex is there, however.
鈥淚f you can move away from it, that only benefits that population and possibly sensitizes less people as well,鈥� she said.
Most dental offices, she said, have moved away from latex and opt for Nitrile or vinyl gloves. Wash U鈥檚 clinics have also moved away from latex.
