HomeMy WebLinkAbout19-16 - Prohibiting the use of styrofoamRESOLUTION NO. 19-16
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COSTA MESA,
CALIFORNIA, PROHIBITING THE USE OF EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE
(COMMONLY KNOWN AS "STYROFOAM") FOOD SERVICE PRODUCTS WITHIN
CITY FACILITIES AND AT CITY -SPONSORED EVENTS
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COSTA MESA DOES HEREBY
RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
WHEREAS, the City of Costa Mesa is committed to preserving the environment;
and
WHEREAS, expanded polystyrene ("EPS"), which is commonly known by its
trademark name, "Styrofoam", is a petroleum-based plastic that has been found to have
increasingly negative effects on the environment; and
WHEREAS, EPS does not effectively biodegrade in the environment, but merely
breaks down into smaller particles, which litter the City's streets, public places, and
open spaces; and
WHEREAS, food service products made from EPS are a major source of litter
and marine pollution, and frequently clog storm drains and waterways throughout the
region; and
WHEREAS, as a non -biodegradable and non -recyclable plastic, EPS can persist
in the environment for hundreds of thousands of years; and
WHEREAS, alternative products, which are bio -degradable, reusable, and/or
recyclable are readily available at reasonable cost; and
WHEREAS, the City of Costa Mesa desires to exercise environmental
stewardship by reducing the amount of EPS that enters the City's waste stream.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF COSTA MESA AS FOLLOWS:
1. The City of Costa Mesa shall not prospectively purchase, acquire or use
food service products that are produced with expandable polystyrene at
City facilities. Prohibited products include, but are not limited to,
expandable polystyrene food service items such as cups, plates, bowls,
trays, and containers.
Resolution No. 19-16 Page 1 of 4
2. All future rental or use agreements for usage of any City -owned property
or facility shall require that contracting parties assume responsibility for
preventing the utilization and/or distribution of expandable polystyrene
products by the renter/user or any attendee or vendor at the associated
function. The rental agreement shall indicate that the violating
renter's/user's security deposit will be forfeited if the Parks and
Community Services Director, or his/her designee, determines that such
products were utilized in violation of the rental agreement.
3. The use or distribution of expandable polystyrene products at all future
events that are sponsored or co-sponsored by the City of Costa Mesa
shall be prohibited. This prohibition shall apply to event organizers, agents
of the event organizers, event vendors, and any other party (including
non-profit organizations) that enter into an agreement with one or more of
the co-sponsors of the event to sell goods, food or beverages at the event
or otherwise provide an event -related service. The prohibition on the use
of polystyrene products will not be enforced upon individuals who are
attending the function solely as a visitor or spectator.
All future written agreements with any vendor, including non-profit
organizations, to sell goods, food or beverages at a City -sponsored event
shall specifically prohibit the usage and distribution of expandable
polystyrene food service products and shall indicate that the violating
permittee's security deposit will be forfeited if the Parks and Community
Services Director, or his/her designee, determines that such products
were used in violation of the agreement.
4. The provisions of this Resolution shall not apply to the City's SeniorSery
Program for up to one year upon adoption.
Resolution No. 19-16 Page 2 of 4
5. All individuals, groups, businesses, non-governmental and other
governmental agencies are strongly encouraged to assist in preserving
the environmental by ceasing to purchase and use expandable
polystyrene food service products.
PASSED AND ADOPTED This 16th day of April, 2019.
ATTEST:
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Brenda Gre , City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Kimberly H II Barlow, City Attorney
Resolution No. 19-16 Page 3 of 4
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF ORANGE ) ss
CITY OF COSTA MESA )
I, BRENDA GREEN, City Clerk of the City of Costa Mesa, DO HEREBY
CERTIFY that the above and foregoing is the original of Resolution No. 19-16 and was
duly passed and adopted by the City Council of the City of Costa Mesa at a regular
meeting held on the 16th day of April, 2019, by the following roll call vote, to wit:
AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: CHAVEZ, GENIS, MARK, REYNOLDS, STEPHENS,
FOLEY
NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS: NONE
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS: MANSOOR
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereby set my hand and affixed the seal of the
City of Costa Mesa this 17th day of April, 2019.
Brenda Green, City Clerk
Resolution No. 19-16 Page 4 of 4