Encinitas Chick-fil-A. Expect only paper, wood, sugar-cane, or bamboo

For every ten pieces of trash collected in 2023, eight were plastic, according to a report for this year's countywide volunteer beach and park cleanups sponsored by the San Diego chapters of Surfrider and Coastkeeper.

To tackle the scourge, Encinitas is taking steps to require restaurants and retailers to provide only compostable or reusable foodware.

The city's environmental commission last week proposed an amendment to strengthen the city's plastic ordinance passed in 2020, which bans the use and distribution of disposable styrofoam foodware and plastic straws. The current ordinance allows other single-use plastic items (knives, forks, plates) commonly used by food providers throughout the city.

From Surfrider and Coastkeeper

If the city council approves the changes, restaurants will have to transition to new materials for their cups, plates, bowls, trays, take-out boxes, stir sticks, lid plugs, straws, and utensils. For dine-in providers, only reusable foodware is allowed, with exceptions for single-use compostable straws, paper napkins, foil liners, and paper trays. Customers can bring their own reusable containers.

Take-out food providers won't be able to use traditional, recyclable or compostable plastic. Only natural fiber-based compostable materials such as paper, wood, sugar-cane or bamboo are allowed, as well as aluminum containers and foil.

As with the city's styrofoam ban, retailers will also have to make the switch. Foodware items for sale that don't contain food must be made of natural fiber-based compostable materials or aluminum — no traditional, compostable, or recyclable plastic.

The proposal will include outreach to city businesses to get feedback on products and the cost to restaurants and retailers. Commissioners said there's a confusing array of materials on the market, but more truly compostable and plastic-free products are becoming available. 

A staff report notes that when California's AB201, "The Better Composting Standards Act," takes effect, it will provide a legal definition for labeling items compostable. Until Jan 1, 2026, fiber-based compostable foodware must be certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute. After that, such items must have a “compostable” label as defined by AB 1201.

Several cities, including Carlsbad, require that foodware items must meet what the current waste hauler is capable of composting, and have a legal definition of the term “compostable."

Encinitas' waste hauler, EDCO, supports the proposal to divert more waste from the landfill and turn it into compost in their anaerobic digester.

"We need to get the plastics out because they're everywhere," said EDCO general manager Jim Ambroso. The change is a step in the right direction, but he acknowledged it will be a huge challenge, ensuring the ubiquitous material doesn't wind up in the wrong bin. "In the end we're still the ones who are going to get all this, and we'll still have to sort it out for awhile," he said. 

"Until everybody's doing it, and we get nothing but non-plastic materials being put in the green containers, we've still got a job to do."