Oceana Applauds Laguna Beach for Reducing Single-Use Plastic Food Ware
Press Release Date: June 16, 2021
Location: Laguna Beach, Calif.
Contact:
Dustin Cranor, APR | email: dcranor@oceana.org | tel: 954.348.1314
Yesterday, the Laguna Beach City Council passed an ordinance reducing the amount of plastic pollution generated from restaurants, bars and other food vendors. Under the new law, restaurants and bars are prohibited from using plastic beverage straws, stirrers, utensils, plastic disposable food ware and plastic bags; and stores are prohibited from selling polystyrene-foam food and drink ware. In addition, the ordinance prohibits the use of plastic or polystyrene-foam disposable food ware on city beaches, parks and trails.
Oceana applauded the city council’s action and the efforts of local organizations to pass the policy. Oceana released the following statement from Plastics Campaign Director Christy Leavitt:
“Laguna Beach is the latest in a growing number of cities and states combatting the plastic pollution crisis through policies that stop the problem at the source. Just this year, Virginia, Washington and Colorado state legislatures banned polystyrene-foam food ware statewide; the Los Angeles Council limited the use of plastic utensils; and the Boca Raton, Florida, City Council banned polystyrene-foam food ware on city property. The only way we can curb the wave of plastic plaguing our shores, choking marine life and threatening coastal economies is by reducing the amount of single-use plastic being produced and used. City council members have taken an important step in reducing Laguna Beach’s plastic footprint and steering us away from a plastic-filled future, and we urge other local and state governments to follow their lead.”
An estimated 33 billion pounds of plastic enter the marine environment from land-based sources every year — roughly the equivalent of dumping two garbage trucks full of plastic into the ocean every minute. On top of plastic’s harmful impacts to marine life, plastic has now been found in our water, our food, our soil, our air and our bodies, and scientists are still learning how this may be affecting human health. With plastic production growing at a rapid rate, increasing amounts of plastic can be expected to flood our blue planet with devastating consequences.
For more information about Oceana’s campaign to end the plastics problem, please visit usa.oceana.org/plastics.
Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Oceana is rebuilding abundant and biodiverse oceans by winning science-based policies in countries that control one-third of the world’s wild fish catch. With more than 225 victories that stop overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution, and the killing of threatened species like turtles and sharks, Oceana’s campaigns are delivering results. A restored ocean means that 1 billion people can enjoy a healthy seafood meal, every day, forever. Together, we can save the oceans and help feed the world. Visit USA.Oceana.org to learn more.
