20.113 Resoluton in Suport of Plastic Reduction and Sustainability OrdinanceCity of Northampton
MASSACHUSETTS
In the Year Two Thousand and Twenty-One
Upon the Recommendation of the Mayor’s Youth Commission, Councilor William H. Dwight and
Councilor Rachel Maiore
R-20.113 A RESOLUTION
IN SUPPORT OF PLASTIC REDUCTION AND SUSTAINABILITY ORDINANCE
Be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Northampton, in City Council assembled, as follows:
WHEREAS, 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
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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, Easthampton, 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 affirms its support for 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 o f certified biodegradable,
compostable, reusable, or recyclable products or materials.