Sebastopol is going ahead with a ban on polystyrene foam food and beverage containers, taking the lead in Sonoma County amid a nationwide concern about single-use plastics and a mounting global crisis over consumer waste. The new ordinance, the first of its kind in Sonoma County, prohibits the sale or use of disposable cups, burger boxes, clamshell containers and even cheap ice chests made of expanded polystyrene in Sebastopol come Nov. 19. The regulation is based on a model intended for adoption around the county.
Among numerous other provisions, the wide-ranging measure also requires vendors to ditch single-use containers, bowls, plates, cups, straws, stirrers, utensils, napkins and other products of any material when viable compostable or recyclable alternatives are commercially available. Customers who want to-go condiments, cup lids, cutlery or straws will have to ask for them, as well. The ordinance encourages food providers to credit customers 25 cents for bringing their own reusable to-go containers and charge a takeout fee up to 10 cents to defray the costs associated with cups, lids, straws or utensils. The ordinance also governs packaging for prepared foods. Blown polystyrene egg cartons and food and meat trays are exempt. The Sebastopol City Council adopted the model ordinance in March but delayed its enforcement to allow restaurants and vendors to use up any remaining foam stock they might have on hand and to give the rest of Sonoma County time to catch up.
But Vice Mayor Patrick Slayter, a member of Sebastopol’s recently created zero waste subcommittee, said the council saw no point in waiting to act, given the well-known environmental harm caused by blown polystyrene, often referred to by the brand name Styrofoam. The only other local entity poised to act is Windsor, which reportedly will consider the ordinance in August. “It was something that comes up in community conversations with some regularity because there are so many other communities way ahead of us around the state,” Slayter said. “So it became obvious, honestly, that this was something that was well-vetted around the state from a legal perspective, and it was also something that our community has been asking for.”