A. The City of Sebastopol has a duty to protect the natural environment and health and safety of residents.

B. The production and use of single-use disposable food ware, packaging, and plastics are a major contributor to street litter, ocean pollution, marine and other wildlife harm, and greenhouse gas emissions.

C. The production, consumption and disposal of single-use disposable food ware contribute significantly to the depletion of natural resources and causes plastics to enter our waterways and oceans.

D. Eighty percent of marine debris originates on land, primarily as urban runoff. Marine plastic degrades into pieces and particles of all sizes and is present in the world’s oceans at all levels.

E. Marine microplastic has been detected in seafood sold for human consumption and has also been detected in human consumption items such as bottled water, honey, sea salt and more.

F. In 2017, the Russian River Watershed Association conducted an analysis of trash in the Russian River. The study revealed that of the total litter items collected (2,578) over 60 percent were single-use plastic items of some variety (plastic wrappers, plastic bags, polystyrene food packaging, lids/straws, etc.). Polystyrene products alone accounted for approximately 10 percent of the total litter items collected.

G. Reducing the generation of single-use disposable food ware including plastic utensils, plastic cups, polystyrene clamshells, plastic straws, and disposable food ware maximizes the operating life of landfills, reduces litter, and helps reduce the economic and environmental costs of managing waste. This will also help protect the City’s environment from contamination and degradation making it a cleaner and safer place to all citizens and visitors.

H. It is in the interest of the health, safety, and welfare of all who live, work, and do business in the City that the amount of litter on public streets, parks, waterways, and other public places be reduced.

I. The City of Sebastopol must reduce solid waste at its source in accordance with its zero waste goals. Reduction of single-use disposable food ware furthers this goal.

J. This chapter is consistent with City of Sebastopol Climate Emergency Resolution No. 6274-2019, the County of Sonoma Integrated Waste Management Plan, as amended, and the CalRecycle recycling and waste disposal regulations contained in Titles 14 and 27 of the California Code of Regulations. (Ord. 1135 § 2, 2022)