• Prohibited Single-Use Plastic: Polystyrene items, plastic disposable straws, utensils, and stirrers distributed by food providers, whether for use on-site, to-go, or delivery, cannot be of plastic origin. • Recommended Alternatives: Disposable straws, stirrers, and utensils must be made from non-plastic, non-polystyrene materials, including, but not limited to, paper, sugar cane, wood, or bamboo.
THE PLASTIC POLLUTION PROBLEM Protecting the environment is part of Redondo Beach’s core values. Yet, polystyrene items, plastic straws, and utensils of all shapes, sizes and colors are popping up everywhere, from cocktails to delivery food to unasked-for glasses of water. Collectively, Americans use roughly 500 million plastic straws daily – enough to fill up 125 school buses each day and wrap around our entire planet 2.5 times.
POLYSTYRENE AND SINGLE-USE PLASTIC HARMS WILDLIFE Because they’re not recyclable, most polystyrene products, plastic straws and utensils end up in landfills. The rest can be disposed of improperly and end up polluting the environment. In fact, recent studies show that half of all sea turtles and nearly all seabirds have eaten plastic — and by 2050, it’s expected that there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish, by weight.
REDONDO BEACH IS TAKING ACTION Here in Redondo Beach, we have the opportunity to do something about this problem, just as we did with plastic bags. Polystyrene items, straws, and utensils are in the top six most commonly found pieces of trash during beach cleanups in California, and these are also some of the most harmful pieces of plastic pollution to marine life.
PROHIBITED ITEMS
POLYSTYRENE
(Styrofoam®, Rigid Polystyrene, Resin Code PS, #6, or PS#6)
SINGLE-USE PLASTIC PRODUCTS
(Includes Resin Codes #1-6; Bioplastic PLA#7)
• Bowls
• Cartons
• Condiment containers
• Coolers
• Cups/drinkware
• Egg cartons
• Meat and fish trays
• Packing materials
(e.g., packing
peanuts)
• Plates
• Platters
• Produce trays
• Straws
• Utensils
• Wrappers
ALLOWABLE ITEMS
The ordinance allows non-plastic single use items,
such as straws and utensils made from non-plastic
materials (e.g., paper, wood, bamboo, metal, or glass).
These disposable alternative straws, stirrers, and
utensils can be provided only upon request by the
customer. In addition, accommodations may be made
to provide plastic straws to people with disabilities
who request them to obtain equal access to food and
beverage services.
• Lid plugs
• Stirrers
• Straws
• Utensils
CITY OF REDONDO BEACH • 415 Diamond Street, Redondo Beach, CA 90277 Public Works Department • Engineering Services Division • 310-318-0661 • www.redondo.org A Guide to the City of Redondo Beach Polystyrene and Single-Use Plastic Ordinance
PROHIBITION OF USE, DISTRIBUTION AND SALE OF POLYSTYRENE FOOD SERVICE
WARE AND COOLERS AND SINGLE-USE PLASTIC STRAWS, STIRRERS AND UTENSILS The City of Redondo Beach adopted Ordinance No. O-3201-20 on January 14, 2020 to prohibit the distribution or sale of polystyrene and single-use plastic products by food or beverage providers. This ordinance was developed to address environmental and health-related concerns, including negative impacts to water quality, marine ecosystems, marine life, and human health. The ordinance prohibits the use, distribution and sale of polystyrene food service ware and coolers, as well as single-use plastic straws, stirrers, and utensils.