TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Brian D. Bordona, Director of Planning, Building, and Environmental Services
REPORT BY: Ryan Melendez, Planner II - Sustainability
SUBJECT: Introduction and intention to adopt an Ordinance adopting modifications to the Napa County Code Chapter 5.70 and the addition of Chapter 5.80 to reduce the waste and pollution caused by single-use plastic bags and eliminating the use of single-use plastic food ware in the County
RECOMMENDATION
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PUBLIC HEARING - Introduction of Ordinance
Introduction and intention to adopt an Ordinance adopting modifications to the Napa County Code Chapter 5.70 and the addition of Chapter 5.80 to reduce the waste and pollution caused by single-use plastic bags and eliminating the use of single-use plastic food ware in the County. (No Fiscal Impact)
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BACKGROUND
Over the past 35 years, several municipalities in California have passed ordinances regulating the use of single-use food ware. One of the earliest such ordinances was adopted by the City of Carmel, which adopted its "Environmentally Acceptable Materials" ordinance in 1989. According to Californians Against Waste (https://www.cawrecycles.org), 131 cities and counties have adopted ordinances banning polystyrene, with at least 47 jurisdictions also having requirements that take-out food ware be recyclable or compostable.
On February 25, 2020, the Napa County Climate Action Committee (CAC) discussed a variety of short-term actions that could be agreed to and implemented by all members' respective cities and town, including: streamlining electric vehicle charging station requirements; participating in the Deep Green Program administered by Marin Clean Energy (MCE); exploring a prohibition on the use of gas-powered blowers and motors; and developing a prohibition of expanded polystyrene foam (Styrofoam) used in take-out food packaging. These were actions that each municipality could take individually on their own initiative, rather than a colle...
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