OPINION - EDITORIAL

OTHERS SAY - A war on plastic

Perhaps it was only natural that Berkeley would be the first California city to take on the challenge of crafting a truly comprehensive plan to reduce single-use plastic trash. After months of hearings and study, the City Council adopted the Single-Use Disposable Foodware and Litter Reduction Ordinance last week to force a shift from plastic to compostable food containers. If everything goes as planned, by this time next year the flow of plastic containers, cups, lids and utensils from restaurants, fast-food outlets and other businesses serving prepared food within city limits will have virtually stopped. The city’s goal, however, is not just to change the composition of its trash piles. It’s also to reduce them. Waste, no matter its makeup, comes with a cost to manage. (At least part of the justification for the new ordinance is to cut back on cleanup costs and to meet regional goals of zero litter in stormwater by 2022.) To that end, Berkeley consumers will be required to pay an extra quarter on every takeout cup they use, even after restaurants switch to compostable ones.

Also, dine-in restaurants in Berkeley will be prohibited from using anything but reusable cups, forks, plates and the like, starting in mid 2020.

Meanwhile, plastic is piling up in the natural environment because it doesn’t biodegrade. Instead, it breaks down into small pieces that are easily ingested by sea birds and creatures, killing some of them. Microplastic particles, which may contain toxins, have been found pretty much everywhere, including in our drinking water and in the food chain.

Berkeley, at least, answered the call to think beyond bags and straws. And while we’re not endorsing every piece of this complex ordinance, officials there deserve credit for the courage it took to enact such an aggressive waste reduction effort that could serve as the test case for other cities and states.

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