Pacific Grove Says No to Single-Use

In 2017 Carmel paved the way by amending their plastic bag/Stryofoam ban ordinance to include:

• banning plastic straws (PLA plastic allowed)
• banning petroleum-based plastics from dine-in services ('compostable' PLA plastic allowed)
• banning food service to-go ware with the recycling symbol of plastic #6 (which is a popularly utilized, cheap, light, yet potentially toxic and effectively unrecyclable type of plastic).

In 2018 Monterey followed with a similar but stronger ordinance to include the above plus:

• banning petro-plastic and PLA straws (paper/pasta/reusable only)
• banning all disposables from dine-in services, including PLA (a key criteria in Ocean Friendly Restaurants!)
• banning food service to-go ware with the recycling symbol of plastic #3, #4, #5, #6 (with the idea that plastics #1 and #2 are the most commonly recycled resins on the market).

And now, in 2019, Pacific Grove has gone the extra mile to include the above, plus:

• banning all petro-plastics for to-go containers and cups (BPI certified compostable only - this specific provision was encouraged by the Surfrider Monterey County Chapter, citing the importance of certification/quality control as detailed in the San Francisco ordinance)
• banning all petro-plastic bags - including for restaurants, dry cleaners and  grocers, including bags for produce/bulk/meat/wet items in grocery stores (BPI certified compostable only)
• paper bags to be 100% post consumer waste recycled
• banning single-use toiletries from lodging establishments (the state of CA passed this as well, but it won't take effect until 2023)

The most progressive provisions in the PG ban are that all bag film, including dry cleaning bags and produce/bulk dispenser bags, are included.  Dry cleaners will be given an extra year because compostable plastic dry cleaning bags are currently difficult to source. The city council was not swayed by the dry cleaners' pleas that they be exempt, arguing that the market will diversify to fill the needs resulting from these bans. The same applies to the paper bags, 100% post-consumer waste paper bags are more expensive and harder to find, most stores carry 40% PCW bags, but again, a forward thinking council held firm - “let's help push the market.”