The Santa Barbara City Council on February 10 approved an ordinance regulating single-use materials to encourage reusable alternatives and decrease landfill waste.
The council approved the ordinance in a 4-1 vote, with Mayor Randy Rowse voting against it and Councilmember Eric Friedman recusing himself due to a conflict of interest related to his employment in the grocery industry.
The proposal updates several sections of the Santa Barbara Municipal Code and introduces new restrictions on materials commonly used by businesses and residents.
The proposed ordinance expands the existing 2019 ban on foam and includes rigid polystyrene products, such as cups, packaging, and foodware. During the discussion, it was noted that several corporate retailers, such as Costco, have transitioned from polystyrene meat trays to alternative packaging for items like rotisserie chicken.
The ordinance requires all to-go foodware distributed to customers to be compostable, as plastic and bioplastic items cannot be recycled or composted at the county’s resource recovery center.
The ordinance calls for a ban on small (8-fluid-ounce) plastic water bottles across the city and aseptic beverage containers (such as juice boxes and Tetra Paks) at city-owned and operated facilities.
The sale of Mylar balloons and plastic or Mylar confetti has been prohibited due to their detrimental effect on the environment and the risk of power outages and wildfires caused by Mylar hitting power lines. However, the sale of latex balloons and paper confetti is allowed.
To align with state law, the ordinance repeals a local plastic bag code and adopts state language banning all plastic bags. Paper bags will be required to have 50% recycled content by 2028.
City staff emphasized that promoting reusable materials is the top priority for reducing waste.
Under the ordinance, food and beverages served for on-site consumption must use reusable foodware. To support businesses in making this change, the city discussed providing grants for dishwashers and partnering with reusable cup-washing services.
Event organizers will be mandated to ensure at least 10% of beverages are served in reusable cups.
A pilot program with Dune Coffee has shown that customers were willing to switch, with roughly 17,000 reusable cups used during the three-month trial period.
Council Debates on the Ordinance
Despite the broad support, council members pointed out areas of concern.
Mayor Randy Rowse expressed concern about the economic impact of the transition on small or ethnic food producers, who lack the labor or machinery to change to reusable on-site dining.
Councilmember Oscar Gutierrez proposed labeling balloons with purchaser information to hold people accountable for littering, similar to policies used for beer kegs in Isla Vista. However, the city attorney and other councilmembers said the system would be difficult to enforce.
Councilmembers also pointed out that local bans might result in residents buying banned items, like Mylar balloons, online, which the city cannot regulate due to the commerce clause.
Representatives from the balloon industry argued that a ban would impact local businesses and pointed out that citizens need to be educated on responsible use.
Mayor Rowse asked to “piecemeal” the ordinance to remove items with uncertain economic results, such as the rigid polystyrene and reusable foodware mandates. Disagreeing with him, other members said a comprehensive ordinance was necessary for a cohesive public rollout.
The council eventually approved the ordinance in a 4-1 vote, with Mayor Rowse voting against it. Councilmember Eric Friedman recused himself due to a conflict of interest related to his employment at a grocery store.
Also Read
- Santa Barbara County Overdose Deaths Decline Sharply Since 2023 Peak
- SpaceX Set for Overnight Rocket Launch From Vandenberg; Could Bring Sonic Booms
- California Experiencing 85% Increase in Wildfire Smoke Waves, Study Finds
- Cause of Death Confirmed as Carbon Monoxide Poisoning for Goleta Couple
- Newsom Allocates $1.18 Billion to Expand Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Across California
Nice step. Sort of a decade behind but good. How can anyone rationalize the idea that a moment’s convenience (straw or plastic tooth probe or plastic bag to hold your two ears of corn on the way out of the market are worth the permanent damage this stuff causes? Something you may use for minutes will be in the environment for years and will eventually just get smaller and smaller until it can be absorbed into your body and brain. There is no technology to remove this crap once it escapes into the environment. If we can’t stop it being used we should minimally make those who profit from it pay for the harm it causes.
All very true! Yeah, it’s too bad we didn’t stick with it the first time we tried it, but we absolutely have to start somewhere.
The older I get the more acutely aware of how much plastic I have already strewn about my little patch of earth, and now we know a lot more of what the actual cost of that fleeting, momentary convenience is. We simply must stop putting plastic into the environment, or at the very least do it less often.