Good news for the environment and for Carlsbad residents tired of accumulating unneeded plastic utensils after ordering takeout: A new city law is taking effect June 1 aimed at reducing the amount of unused and unwanted single-use plastics that end up in landfills each year when people get food to go.
The new law means that restaurants and food delivery services in Carlsbad must only provide single-use plastic foodware like straws, utensils and condiment packets on request. The law is based on a state mandate (AB1276) commonly called “Skip the Stuff.”
Carlsbad’s ordinance (CS-420) affects all food facilities in the city including restaurants, cafes, hotels and other vendors. It also applies to dine-in, take-out, drive-through and delivery services, as well as city facilities and events.
The city is also going beyond state requirements by creating a citywide ban on single-use plastic foodware and polystyrene containers. That new law takes effect July 1, but the city is giving businesses a year to transition to other materials before enforcement begins.
Both laws were approved by the City Council on April 5. Since then, city staff have been conducting community outreach and working with local businesses to educate them about the changes. Those efforts will continue over the coming year.
The new laws are part of a larger set of initiatives the city is implementing to help protect the environment by eliminating hard-to-recycle waste from landfills, reduce plastic pollution and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Why it’s important
Single-use materials from food and beverages make up approximately 25% of the waste produced in California.
Cups, straws, containers, condiments and other food-related items made with plastic and expanded polystyrene do not break down, litter our community, and cause harm to our local lagoons, ocean and wildlife.
Offering these items only when requested will save businesses money and:
Keep 1,196 tons of these materials out of the landfill each year
Reduce Carlsbad’s overall waste stream by 3%
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 0.73%, which is the equivalent of 369 metric tons of carbon dioxide, or 6,101 tree seedlings grown for 10 years
More changes coming
The new ordinance is part of a broader sustainability implementation plan approved by the City Council in December 2021 that spells out how the city will help reduce plastic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions over the coming years. The plan also calls for:
A ban on the use of plastic beverage bottles for city facilities and city-affiliated events by July 1, 2023
A ban on intentionally releasing balloons, which would go into effect by July 1, 2023
A phased in implementation plastic bag ban which would go into effect for retail only in July 2023 and expand to restaurants by July 2024
