(A) The Town of Fairfax has a desire and duty to protect its natural environment and the health of its citizens and economy. A “throw-away” culture has led to a proliferation of single-use disposable foodware, packaging and plastics, which has significantly contributed to street litter, ocean pollution, marine and other wildlife harm and greenhouse gas emissions.
(B) The Town of Fairfax is committed to reducing waste and greenhouse emissions in furtherance of the town’s zero-waste and other environmental goals.
(C) Single-use disposable foodware threatens public health because many types contain fluorinated chemical additives that are known or suspected carcinogens or endocrine disruptors. These additives are known to leach from foodware into the food and beverages they contain and into soil and water.
(D) Single-use disposable foodware made from plastic is lightweight and is often picked up by wind and carried from land to waterways, where the plastic breaks down into smaller pieces of plastic debris, which is often mistaken for food by birds and other marine wildlife. When ingested, such debris can cause those animals to suffer health problems and sometimes die.
(E) Plastic debris from single-use disposable foodware attracts and concentrates ambient pollutants in seawater and freshwater, which can transfer to fish, other seafood and salt that is eventually sold for human consumption.
(F) Eliminating the use of polystyrene (EPS) and polypropylene products and other non-compostable foodware, including plastic utensils and straws, maximizes the operating life of landfills and lessens the economic and environmental costs to the town of managing waste, helping to protect the town’s environment from contamination and degradation and making it a cleaner, healthier town for all citizens and visitors. Businesses may benefit from this cost-savings while also boosting customer satisfaction.
(Ord. 838, passed 10-2-2019)
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