ITEM 9 ATTACHMENT City Council Meeting 02-12-18 Item 4.B. Council Agenda Report To: Mayor Peak and the Honorable Members of the City Council Prepared by: Craig George, Environmental Sustainability Director Approved by: Reva Feldman, City Managerç1~5 Date prepared: January 23, 2018 Subject: Plastic Straws, Stirrers, and Cutlery Ban Meeting date: February 12, 2018 RECOMMENDED ACTION: 1) After the City Attorney reads the title of the ordinance, introduce on first reading Ordinance No. 432 determining the project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act and amending Chapter 9.24 to Title 9 of the Malibu Municipal Code (MMC) to prohibit the sale, distribution and use of plastic straws, stirrers, and cutlery within the City; and 2) Direct staff to schedule second reading and adoption of Ordinance No. 432 for the February 26, 2018 City Council meeting. FISCAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommended action. DISCUSSION: On September 26, 2016, the Council directed staff to draft an ordinance banning the sale of expanded polystyrene products. On November 14, 2016, the Council adopted Ordinance 412, amending the MMC to prohibit the sale of polystyrene foam food service ware, restrict its use in the City, and require that the products be replaced with less-hazardous, compostable or recyclable alternatives (Plastic Ban). On October 9, 2017, the Council directed staff to extend the Plastic Ban to address the sale and commercial distribution of plastic straws. On January 22, 2018, the Environmental Sustainability Subcommittee reviewed and discussed the proposed ordinance relating to plastic straws and stirrers. The Subcommittee requested staff add a ban on plastic cutlery to the proposed ordinance and amend the definition of food service ware. The attached draft ordinance would achieve the Council s goals of expanding the Plastic Ban and reducing plastic litter by: Amending the title of Chapter 9.24 to state, Plastic Food Packaging and Other Plasticware ; Page 1 of 3 Agenda Item # 4.B.
Amending the definition for Food service ware ; Adding new definitions for Beverage provider ; City-sponsored event ; Plastic beverage straw ; Plastic stirrer ; and Plastic cutlery ; and Adding Section 9.24.045 prohibiting the sale and commercial distribution of plastic straws, stirrers, and cutlery within the City, making non-plastic alternatives available to customers, and making non-plastic alternative straws available to customers only upon request. An estimated 500 million plastic straws are used and discarded every day enough to wrap around the earth 2.5 times per day. In California, Coastal Cleanup Day has tracked the amount of trash collected since 1992, and plastic straws and stirrers are the sixth most common item collected. Plastic cutlery is the fifth most common item. collected. For this reason, staff recommends banning plastic stirrers and plastic cutlery in the same section as the ban on plastic straws. By amending the definition of food service ware to remove reference to straws, forks, spoons, and knifes and adding the new section and definitions relating to straws, stirrers, and cutlery, the City is no longer permitting the commercial use and distribution of compostable and biodegradable petroleum or biologically based straws, forks, spoons, and knifes. In other words, the City will only allow the commercial use and distribution of straws, stirrers, forks, knifes, sporks, and spoons that are made from non-plastic materials, such as paper, sugar cane, bamboo, etc. Plastic straws, stirrers, and cutlery never biodegrade, the plastic is broken down into smaller pieces that become difficult to manage in the environment. Nearly all plastic, regardless of whether it has been recycled, still exists. It is estimated that there are over five trillion pieces of plastic in the ocean. Of these pieces, 92 percent are smaller than a grain of rice. These fragments are misidentified as food by aquatic biota and enter into the food chain. Plastics in the ocean also attract other pollutants, which magnify the toxicity of the fragments consumed by marine life, and ultimately enter the human food chain. Plastic straws, stirrers, and cutlery end up in the ocean through human error and misuse, such as litter that blows into the ocean or through storm drains. Over the last 15 years, the use of straws has multiplied. Straws merely offer convenience and are expected when ordering beverages. Therefore, staff recommends making non-plastic alternative straws available only upon request. There are also many non-plastic alternatives to single-use plastic straws, including paper, glass, bamboo, and stainless steel straws. Similarly, there are non-plastic alternatives to single-use plastic stirrers and cutlery, such as wooden or bamboo stirrers. These alternatives are currently available locally. Although non-plastic alternatives can cost more than plastic straws, stirrers, and cutlery, when similar quantities are ordered the difference is minimal. As it relates to straws, it is approximately $.01 more per straw for paper straws. A restaurant or other entity distributing straws can make up the price difference by offering paper Page 2 of 3 Agenda Item # 4.B.
straws or other alternatives upon request. Not requesting or using a straw is an effective way to reduce the pollution created by plastic straws in the environment. Additionally, on January 22, 2018, Mayor Peak recommended adding plastic lids to the ordinance. Staff recommends the City address these important issues incrementally to allow businesses to find readily available non-plastic alternatives. By consensus, the Subcommittee recommended staff forward the ordinance to Council for adoption. As part of the initial outreach efforts, staff recommends providing each local restaurant with a box of paper straws accompanied by a letter introducing the new ordinance. The straws will be sent after Council approval of the ordinance. ATTACHMENT: Ordinance No. 432 Page 3 of 3 Agenda Item # 4.B.
ORDINANCE NO. 432 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MALIBU DETERMINING THE PROJECT CATEGORICALLY EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT AND AMENDING TITLE 9 (PUBLIC PEACE AND WELFARE) OF THE MALIBU MUNICIPAL CODE, CHAPTER 9.24 TO REGULATE PLASTIC STRAWS, STIRRERS, AND CUTLERY The City Council of the City of Malibu does ordain as follows: SECTION 1. Recitals. A. The state Legislature recognized that littered plastic products have caused and continue to cause significant environmental harm and have burdened local governments with significant environmental cleanup costs. (California Public Resources Code 423 55.) The state Legislature further declared its intent to ensure that environmental marketing claims, including claims of biodegradation of plastics, do not lead to an increase in environmental harm associated with plastic litter by providing consumers with a false belief that certain plastic products are less harmful to the environment. (Id.) B. Although plastics are generally recyclable, plastics synthesized from petroleum and natural gas do not biodegrade. Even with the emergence of bioplastics, which are derived from renewable biomass sources, such as plants and microorganisms, there is no certified type of bioplastic that biodegrades in a marine environment. C. To fulfill the City of Malibu s goals ofreducing littered plastic products, the Malibu City Council adopted an ordinance banning.polystyrene foam food packaging containers (Malibu Municipal Code Section 9.24) and plastic shopping bags (Malibu Municipal Code Section 9.28). D. Despite these efforts, the City continues to confront littered plastic, namely plastic straws, stirrers, and cutlery. Plastic straws, stirrers, and cutlery are generally made from polystyrene or polypropylene. Although the City has already banned polystyrene, it intends to make clear, through the adoption of the instant ordinance, that commercial use of all plastic straws, stirrers, and cutlery is banned within the City s jurisdiction. A ban on plastic straws, stirrers, and cutlery will further serve the City s goal of reducing plastic litter. Non-plastic, compostable alternatives are available. SECTION 2. as follows: The Title of Chapter 9.24 of the Malibu Municipal Code is hereby amended to read Chapter 9.24 Ban on Plastic Food Packaging and Other Plasticware SECTION 3. Section 9.24.010 of the Malibu Municipal Code is hereby amended by adding the following definitions in alphabetical order:
Ordinance No. 432 Page 2 of 4 Beverage Provider means any business, organization, entity, group, or individual located in the City of Malibu that offers liquid, slurry, frozen, semi-frozen, or other forms of beverages to the public for consumption. City-Sponsored Event means any event organized or sponsored by the City of Malibu or any department of the City of Malibu. Plastic Cutlery means any utensil, such as a fork, spoon, spork, or knife, made predominantly of plastic derived from either petroleum or a biologically based polymer, such as corn or other plant sources intended for only one-time use. Plastic cutlery includes compostable and biodegradable petroleum or biologically based polymer forms of cutlery, but does not include forms of cutlery that are made from non-plastic materials, such as paper, sugar cane, bamboo, etc. Plastic Beverage Straw means a tube made predominantly of plastic derived from either petroleum or a biologically based polymer, such as corn or other plant sources, for transferring a beverage from its container to the mouth of the drinker. Plastic Beverage Straw includes compostable and biodegradable petroleum or biologically based polymer straws, but does not include straws that are made from non-plastic materials, such as paper, sugar cane, bamboo, etc. Plastic Stirrer means a device that is used to mix beverages, intended for only one-time use, and made predominantly of plastic derived from either petroleum or a biologically based polymer, such as corn or other plant sources.. Plastic stirrer includes compostable and biodegradable petroleum or a biologically based polymer stirrers, but does not include stirrers that are made from non-plastic materials, such as paper, sugar cane, bamboo, etc. SECTION 3. Section 9.24.010 of the Malibu Municipal Code is hereby amended by amending the following definition: Food service ware means all containers, bowls, plates, trays, cups, lids, napkins, and other like items that are designed for one-time use for prepared foods, including, without limitation, service ware for takeout foods and/or leftovers from partially consumed meals prepared by food vendors. The term food service ware does not include items composed of aluminum. SECTION 4. Section 9.24.045 is hereby added to Chapter 9.24 of the Malibu Municipal Code to read as follows: 9.24.045 Sale and Commercial Distribution of Plastic Beverage Straws, Stirrers, and Cutlery Prohibited. A. No restaurant, including fast food restaurants, beverage provider, or vendor shall use, provide, distribute, or sell plastic beverage straws, plastic stirrers, or plastic cutlery.
Ordinance No. 432 Page 3 of4 B. Nothing in this section precludes restaurants, including fast food restaurants, beverage providers, or vendors from using or making non-plastic alternatives, such as those made from paper, sugar cane, or bamboo, available to customers. Non-plastic alternative straws shall only be provided upon request by the customer. C. No person shall distribute plastic beverage straws, plastic stirrers, or plastic cutlery at any city facility or any city-sponsored event. SECTION 5. follows: Section 9.24.050 of the Malibu Municipal Code is hereby amended to read as A. The City Manager may waive the provisions of Sections 9.24.020, 9.24.030, 9.24.040, 9.24.045 if: SECTION 6. Environmental Review This Ordinance was assessed in accordance with the authority and criteria contained in the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the State CEQA Guidelines, and the environmental regulations of the City. The City Council hereby finds that under Section 15061 (b)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines, this Ordinance is exempt from the requirements of CEQA because it can be seen with certainty that the provisions contained herein would not have the potential for causing a significant effect on the enviromrient. It also finds the Ordinance is exempt from the requirements of CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15307 and 15308 as an action by a regulatory agency taken to protect the enviromuent and natural resources. SECTION 7. Severability If any section, subsection, subdivision, sentence, clause, phrase, or portion of this Ordinance or the application thereof to any person or place, is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by the final decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this Ordinance shall remain in full force and effect. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed this ordinance and each section, subsection, phrase or clause thereof irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, phrases, or clauses be declared unconstitutional. SECTION 8. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall take effect on June 1, 2018. SECTION 9. Certification. The City Clerk shall certify the passage and adoption of this ordinance and enter it into the book of original ordinances.
Ordinance No. 432 Page 4 of 4 PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this day of 2018. AYrEST: SKYLAR PEAK, Mayor HEATHER GLASER, City Clerk (seal) Date: ~VED,~S T~ FORMS (4i41 t~v~ ehristi HOGTN~ Ci Attorney Any action challenging the final decision of the City made as a result of the public hearing on this application must be filed within the time limits set forth in Section 1.12.010 of the Malibu Municipal Code aiid Code of Civil Procedure.