Councilman wants local restaurants to turn ‘green’
Take it to go, as long as it’s not in styrofoam.
The non-biodegrable plastic may soon be banned from Santa Monica.
The City Council voted unanimously last week to direct city staff to investigate the feasibility of a citywide ban on plastic food packaging and containers, following a recent recommendation from the city’s environmental task force.
City staff will consult with the local business community to determine the possible economic impacts of the ban.
The city of Malibu approved a ban in February and officials are currently finalizing the law. The ban in Malibu is set to begin in July.
The Malibu ordinance will include “food packaging,” which means all bags, sacks, wrapping, containers, bowls, plates, trays, cartons, cups, straws and lids not intended for consumer re-use. Food items that are packaged outside the city of Malibu will be exempt from the ordinance.
Malibu city staff said it lacks the resources to conduct proactive enforcement for a plastic-ban ordinance. However, a city report said resources are available to conduct complaint-driven enforcement with the understanding complaints would be prioritized accordingly.
While the Malibu Chamber of Commerce opposes the ban, Santa Monica’s chamber hasn’t yet taken a position on the issue, said Kathy Dodson, executive director.
Councilman Kevin McKeown, who suggested the ban, said replacing foam plastic product packaging is one of his top priorities.
“I first brought it up six years ago, but there was only one product to replace it at the time,” McKeown said. “Now there’s a number of biodegradable products available to replace plastic.”
McKeown said foam plastics can’t be recycled and often end up in landfills, littering the beaches, or washed into the bay. He said environmental task force members have told him the plastic collects in the ocean and fish end up feeding on it, thinking it’s plankton.
McKeown said he has received a letter from the California Restaurant Association urging him to not support a ban. He said he would prefer measures that provide incentives for businesses to use biodegradable packaging instead of taking a purely punitive-based approach.
“I don’t want to make it impossible to operate restaurants in Santa Monica,” McKeown said. “I just want our restaurants to be environmentally responsible.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 28, 2005. Read the original PDF.