20.113 Body of Plastic Reduction OrdinanceWHEREAS, the City of Northampton has a duty to protect the natural environment, the economy and the health of its citizens, and
WHEREAS, polystyrene, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, and polyvinyl chloride are typically made from fossil fuels, a non-renewable resource, and
WHEREAS, further that production of such plastics is driving fossil fuel extraction, and
WHEREAS, the manufacture, use, and disposal of these plastics requires substantial energy consumption, and contributes to the greenhouse gases that further climate change and result
in adverse local and global environmental effects, and
WHEREAS, plastics 1 - 6 are common environmental pollutants that fragment into smaller non-biodegradable pieces that harm or kill marine life and wildlife when ingested, and
WHEREAS, the Environmental Protection Agency states "that such materials can also have serious impacts on human health, wildlife, the aquatic environment and the economy", and
WHEREAS, styrene, a component of polystyrene, is a known hazardous substance,
classified by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) as “reasonably anticipated to be a
human carcinogen” and as a potential food and beverage contaminant that may “leach from polystyrene containers used for food products”, and
WHEREAS, polyethylene terephthalate and polystyrene, are based on benzene, which is a known carcinogen and hazardous substance, and
WHEREAS, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride are generally not recyclable, and
WHEREAS, polystyrene is used as food service ware by food establishments and
packing material by retail establishments operating in the City of Northampton, and
WHEREAS, disposable food service ware constitutes a portion of the litter in
Northampton’s streets, parks and public places, which increases municipal expenses, and
WHEREAS, biodegradable and/or compostable materials are available as affordable and effective alternatives to most plastic products, and
WHEREAS, New York, California, Oregon, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, American Samoa Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, US Virgin Islands, and Guam have enacted plastic bag bans; with Connecticut,
Delaware, and Maine having passed plastic bag ban legislation not yet in effect; and with Vermont having passed a comprehensive single-use plastic ban, and
WHEREAS, over 100 municipalities throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and
Asia have banned polystyrene food service ware, including Amherst, Brookline, Great Barrington, Somerville, Cambridge, and South Hadley in addition to 41 other municipalities in Massachusetts,
as well as: Oakland, CA; Chicago, IL; Miami Beach, FL; Albany, NY; New York, NY; Portland, OR; and Seattle, WA
NOW, therefore, the City of Northampton acts to enact an ordinance to prohibit the use and distribution of polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, and polyvinyl chloride
in food service ware and packaging material, and require instead the use and distribution of certified biodegradable, compostable, reusable, or recyclable products or materials.