TO: Napa County Climate Action Committee
FROM: David Morrison, Special Projects Director
REPORT BY: David Morrison, Special Projects Director
SUBJECT: Discussion, Direction, and Consideration to Recommend a Draft Single-Use Plastic Bag Reduction and Reusable Food Ware and Waste Reduction Ordinance to Member Jurisdictions for Consideration
RECOMMENDATION
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DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM: The Special Projects Director requests that the Climate Action Committee (CAC) discuss, provide direction, and consider the recommendation of a draft single-use plastic bag reduction and reusable food ware and waste reduction ordinance for future consideration by the member jurisdictions.
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BACKGROUND
Over the past 45 years, a number of California jurisdictions have passed similar food ware ordinances. One of the earliest was 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 CAC discussed a variety of short-term actions that could be agreed to and implemented by all members, including: streamlining electric vehicle charging station requirements; government participation 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 in take-out food packaging. These were actions that each jurisdiction could take individually on their own initiative, rather than a collective action by the CAC.
On July 23, 2021, Napa Climate NOW! gave a presentation to the CAC, requesting that they consider a draft reusable food ware and waste reduction ordinance. The discussion was continued to the meeting of October 22, 2021, for staff t...
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