Oxnard-- The City Council, Tuesday, January 3, approved an ordinance regulating expanded polystyrene (EPS).
Polystyrene Plastic includes Styrofoam and rigid polystyrene plastic, which is used for food and product packaging and is not processible at waste collection facilities.
The product is slow to degrade, and its chemicals leach into the environment and contribute to waste and pollution.
Planning & Sustainability Manager Kathleen Mallory said on July 28, 2022; the City Council approved an ordinance restricting the use of single-use foodware accessories and standard condiments that don’t restrict or prohibit their use. The Community Services, Public Safety, Housing & Development Committee approved the Ordinance on November 22, 2022.
“The EPS regulatory approach that we’re recommending is consistent with the approach being used in a number of Ventura County cities,” Mallory said. “Step one is to regulate EPS and non-encased EPS through our ordinance.”
She said step two is regulating rigid plastics and other single-use plastic materials until Ventura County Processing Facilities become operational and compostable recycling markets become available to handle processing rigid plastic, which will happen “down the road.”
“A local processing facility should be available in the near future,” she said.
Within the Ordinance, she said single-use Styrofoam…
