Farewell to plastics

Redondo Beach passes claw banning single-use plastics

The city of Redondo Beach makes a move lots of cities already have: banning single-use plastics.

 

The ordinance passed states that “single-use plastic straws, stirrers, and utensils” will no longer be offered at restaurants, coffee shops, etc. Pre-packaged foods in plastic will be allowed because it’s packaged outside of Redondo Beach. The council is hoping to improve our beaches and overall city with the ban.

 

“Anybody goes to the beach, finds plastic bottle caps, plastic bags, it has really become a huge problem, not just locally but globally. From my perspective it has actually taken us too long to get this done, I brought this up five or six years ago and we just did not have support on the council to do this,” Mayor Bill Brand said.

Neighboring cities around have passed similar rules a couple years back. Brand has wanted to pass the ban for a couple years now but the rest of the council thought it was not quite necessary. He is  “excited” that the ordinance has finally been passed.

Once it gets the final yes from the voters it will take another month to fully be ready, so the rule itself will not go into play for approximately another two months.

“A requirement of a certain bill is that the restaurant does not use polystyrene take-out containers, therefore city inspectors will be able to identify and notify the businesses about the new Ordinance,” according to the City Staff Report said.

The rule will be enforced, in restaurants especially and fines will be given if disobeyed. 

The ordinance was passed Tuesday, January 7, 2020, at the board meeting that night. Brand was happy to see so many students there fighting for the environment.“They stayed up late last night to testify on behalf of the environment, specifically the marine environment,” Brand said. “I’m very proud of all the RUHS students.”