Title
An ordinance amending Chapter 8.72 to Title 8 of the South San Francisco Municipal Code regulating the use of Disposable Food Service Ware by Food Facilities.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of South San Francisco ("City") is committed to sustainability, environmental preservation, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions; and
WHEREAS, the City adopted a Green Food Packaging Ordinance in 2008, which prohibits food vendors from dispensing prepared food to customers in disposable food service ware made from polystyrene; and
WHEREAS, in 2013, the City adopted a reusable bag ordinance prohibiting the use of single-use carryout bags at retail stores and requiring retailers to charge customers for recycled paper bags and reusable bags at the point of sale; and
WHEREAS, the production, management, and consumption associated with disposable food service ware, typically used for only a few minutes before being discarded, have significant environmental impacts, including environmental contamination; consumption of precious resources such as energy and water; emissions of greenhouse gases; air and water pollution; litter on streets; and plastic pollution in waterways and oceans; and
WHEREAS, disposable food service ware constitutes a substantial portion of the litter found within the City and the rest of the Bay Area; these types of food service ware are commonly littered or blown out of trash receptacles and migrate through the storm drain system where they eventually end up in the ocean, beaches, creeks and other natural scenic locations; and
WHEREAS, the most effective ways to reduce the negative environmental impacts of disposable food service ware include, in order of priority, using reusable food service ware; using natural-fiber based compostable materials, many made from renewable resources such as bamboo, wheat stalk/stem, and sugarcane that do not contain toxic chemicals; and recycling food service ware; and
WHEREAS, when products are reused and recycled, natur...
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