ITEM NO. 18 STAFFREPORT CITYOF OCEANSIDE

DATE: August 4, 2021

TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers

FROM: Water Utilities Department

SUBJECT: RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE REDUCTION OF MARINE DEBRIS AND LITTER CAUSED BY SINGLE-USE POLYSTYRENE AND SINGLE-USE PLASTIC PRODUCTS

SYNOPSIS

Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution supporting the reduction of marine debris and litter caused by single-use polystyrene and single-use plastic products.

BACKGROUND

On March 17, 2021, the City Council approved the 2020 Zero Waste Plan and directed staff to draft a Marine Debris Reduction Resolution for City Council consideration in an effort to reduce marine debris and litter in the community, protect the environment, conserve resources, improve cleanliness of the City's public areas, and increase the overall quality of life for Oceanside business owners, residents, and visitors.

Worldwide, over 400 million tons of plastic products are produced each year. About half of this total is composed of consumer products destined for disposal after only a single use. These "throw-away" products include single-use food accessories and service ware such as utensils, napkins, condiment packets, cup lids, cup sleeves, and stirrers, as well as polystyrene food containers, plates, trays, ice chests, packing materials, and pool and beach toys. Many of these products are often difficult to recycle and are not accepted in the City’s recyclable materials collection program, and they often end up as trash in landfills or as litter in waterways and streets.

The Marine Debris Reduction Resolution describes the growing problem of marine debris and litter caused by single-use polystyrene and single-use plastic products and encourages voluntary compliance amongst the business community. The resolution also promotes the use of more sustainable alternatives that are compostable, recyclable, or reusable. Staff plans to provide support through education and technical assistance to businesses to assist with the reduction of single-use polystyrene and single-use plastic products while working with community stakeholders and business associations to increase education and awareness of the issues around single-use plastics.

ANALYSIS

On August 25, 2010, City Council adopted Resolution No. 10-R0636-1 calling for a 75 percent to 90 percent diversion rate from landfill by 2020. This goal was supported by adoption of the 2012 Zero Waste Strategic Resource Management Plan (Zero Waste Plan) that laid out a roadmap of policies, programs, and initiatives for the City to implement in order to achieve the City's ambitious diversion targets.

A key goal of the 2012 Zero Waste Plan and the 2020 Zero Waste Plan centers around preventing litter and plastic pollution, which has largely come from single-use polystyrene and single-use plastic products found throughout the marine environment and coastline. Since 2012, outreach booths, workshops, and additional events with Oceanside residents. businesses, and visitors, have occurred to educate the community on the City's Zero Waste Goals and to promote the Be Disposable-Free Campaign. During this public engagement campaign, over 2,500 comment cards were completed and collected to demonstrate public feedback on the impacts of single-use polystyrene and single-use plastic products in the community and to gauge how the community would like to see these impacts addressed. in recent years, concerns over the impacts of marine debris and litter caused by single-use polystyrene and single-use plastic products has grown. Many of the City's stakeholders have expressed their desire for the reduction of marine debris, which has prompted the devel0pment of the draft Marine Debris Reduction Resolution.

The Marine Debris Reduction Resolution urges businesses to phase out the use of single-use polystyrene and single-use plastic products that are often difficult to recycle and are primarily not accepted in the City's recyclable materials collection program. Staff will continue to work with local stakeholders, including the business community, the Chamber of Commerce, and Mainstreet Oceanside to provide businesses with technical assistance in phasing these materials out, and encouraging the purchase and use of more sustainable alternatives that are compostable, recyclable, or reusable.

Staff will also be working with local and State leaders to advocate and support effective and efficient regulations that are well thought out and promote our community's goals to mitigate marine debris caused by single-use polystyrene and single-use plastic products. Staff will also advocate for passage of the Circular Economy bill package (including, but not limited to, bills on chasing arrows which identify types of plastic in products, minimum recycled material content, e-commerce packaging, plastic exports, single-use food service ware, and reusables while also providing support for increased funding for reopening recycling centers). Staff will develop a framework that effectively measures and evaluates the results of education and outreach with businesses. FISCAL IMPACT

Staff has estimated the cost of $10,000 for implementation of waste prevention/marine debris reduction programming, including but not limited to resolution-focused outreach and technical assistance. This project will be charged to the Solid Waste and Recycling Administration account 7000107315355, which has a current balance of $46,996; therefore, sufficient funds are available.

Solid Waste Contract Administration revenues in the Solid Waste fund (731) are the funding source for this project.

INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

Does not apply.

COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE REPORT

The Utilities Commission approved staff’s recommendation at its meeting on May 18, 2021.

CITY A'ITORNEY'S ANALYSIS

The referenced documents have been reviewed by the City Attorney and approved as to form. ' RECOMMENDATIONS

Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution supporting the reduction of marine debris and litter caused by single-use polystyrene and single-use plastic products.

PREPARED BY: SUBMITTED BY:

Colleen Foster '1 eanna Lorson Environmental Officer City Manager

REVIEWED BY:

Michael Gossman, Assistant City Manager

Cari Dale, Water Utilities Director

Jane McPherson, Financial Services Director _¥

ATTACHMENTS:

A: Resolution Attachment A

RESOLUTION NO.

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OCEANSIDE SUPPORTING THE REDUCTION OF MARINE DEBRIS AND LITTER CAUSED BY SINGLE-USE POLYSTYRENE AND SINGLE-USE PLASTIC PRODUCTS

WHEREAS, the City of Oceanside, California (City) has a Zero Waste Goal of

-JGNLh-BWNH ' achieving seventy-five percent (75%) fi to ninety percent (90%) landfill diversion; and WHEREAS, the City has a strong interest in supporting the reduction of marine debris and litter in order to: protect the environment; conserve resources; improve cleanliness of the

\DOO City’s public areas; and increase the overall quality of life for Oceanside business owners, residents, and visitors by implementing more sustainable practices in the City; and WHEREAS, the California state legislature has found and declared that littered plastic products have caused and continue to cause significant environmental harm and have burdened local governments with significant environmental cleanup costs; and WHEREAS, approximately eighty percent (80%) of debris in oceans comes from land; and WHEREAS, a study from San Diego Coastkeeper found that the majority of litter collected on the San Diego County coastline was plastics, at fifty-three percent (53%) of the total sample, much of which was polystyrene-based; and WHEREAS, polystyrene is a particularly harmful pollutant that easily breaks down into smaller pieces, is easily carried by wind onto beaches and waterways, harms wildlife, and persists in the marine environment; and

NHOKDOOHJONM-PWNI—IO WHEREAS, polystyrene and small single-use plastic products such as single-use food

fi

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fi accessories and service ware, are often difficult to recycle and are primarily not accepted in the

-

fl City’s recyclable materials collection program; and WHEREAS, aligning single-use products distributed by businesses with the materials that are accepted in the City’s recyclable materials and organic materials collection program

NMNNNNNNNF‘I‘HP—IP—‘Hb—dD—dh—bl—I helps clarify source separation practices for City residents, businesses, and visitors; and,

OOxlOL reduces the risk of contamination in the City’s collection programs; and WHEREAS, reducing risk of contamination of the City’s material streams supports solid waste haulers and facility operators with more effective collection and processing; increases waste diversion and supports the operating life of landfills; supports businesses with reducing risk of contamination fees; and helps the City maintain an overall successful program; and WHEREAS, the City wishes to encourage use of reusable food service were in order to emphasize the importance of source reduction of wasted materials and align with the City’s zero waste plan goals; and WHEREAS, a variety of stakeholders in the community have continuously expressed their desire for the City to take action against marine debris and litter caused by single-use polystyrene and plastic products. _ _ NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Oceanside does resolve as follows: SECTION 1. That the City of Oceanside hereby commits to work closely with businesses of all industries in the City of Oceanside to voluntarily phase out the use of single- use polystyrene and single-use plastic products that are often difficult to recycle and are primarily not accepted in the City’s recyclable materials collection program. Such products include single-use food accessories and service ware including but not limited to: containers, cups, bowls, plates, trays, cartons, boxes, utensils, straws, stirrers, napkins, condiment packets, cup lids, cup sleeves, cocktail picks, and spill plugs, as well as single—use polystyrene products such as egg cartons, meat trays, coolers, ice chests, packing materials, and pool and beach toys. SECTION 2. That the City of Oceanside hereby commits to encourage participation from all industries in the business community, through a voluntary compliance program, to promote the use of more sustainable alternatives that are compostable, recyclable, or reusable. SECTION 3. That the City of Oceanside hereby commits to providing support through education and technical assistance to businesses to assist with the phasing out of single-use polystyrene and single-use plastic products while working with community stakeholders and

business associations. NNNNNNNNNI—II—Iv—r—Ir—r—Ir—su—IHy—n

OOh-JONUI-PMNHOOOOMJO‘UI-PWNI—O SECTION 4. The City will work with local and State leaders to advocate and support effective and efficient regulations that are well thought out and promote our community’s goals to mitigate marine debris and litter caused by single-use polystyrene and single-use plastic products. The City will advocate for passage of the Circular Economy bill package (including but not limited to bills on chasing arrows which identify types of plastic in products, minimum recycled material content, e-commerce packaging, plastic exports, single-use food service ware, and reusables) and will support increased funding for reopening recycling centers.

\DOO'h-JO'tU'I-FUJMn—n PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Oceanside, California, this day of , 2021, by the following vote:

AYES: NAYS: ABSENT: ABSTAIN:

MAYOR OF THE CITY OF UCEANSl DE

ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:

4'2 -- . 7' .-

City Clerk City Attorney NMNNNMNMNI—I—i—I—F‘r—h—n—r—n—n

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