The Council finds that discarded plastic single-use food service ware constitutes a portion of the waste stream in the city, some of which becomes litter and reaches the St. Croix River. Compostable straws, utensils and packaging would eliminate plastic from this element of the waste stream. The Council therefore finds that the minimization of nonreusable, non-recyclable and noncompostable food service ware originating at retail food establishments and at events providing food and/or beverages within the city is necessary and desirable in order to minimize the amount of plastic in the city’s waste stream and its effects on the St. Croix River and to maximize recycling so as to reduce the volume of plastics reaching the St. Croix River, and to make the city and neighboring communities more environmentally sound places to live.
(Ord. 04-2018, passed 10-1-2018)