What: Tell the City Council NOT to opt out of the countywide ban on plastic bags!
When: City Council Meeting, February 21st, 7:00pm
Where: City Council Chambers, 2263 Santa Clara Ave.
On February 21st, the City Council will hear a recommendation to “opt-out” of the countywide plastic bag ban. We need folks to come to the meeting and tell the City Council NOT to opt out. On January 25th the Alameda County Waste Management Authority adopted a countywide plastic bag ban (which includes a ban a plastic and fee on paper at large grocery stores and pharmacies) and has given cities the opportunity until March 2nd to “opt out” of the countywide ban.
The Public Works staff report says that staff needs more time to conduct outreach to residents and businesses in Alameda who would be affected by the ban and that the City can consider “opting-in” to the ordinance later this year.
CASA encourages the City Council NOT to opt out.
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This is a countywide ordinance and to be most effective it needs to be implemented countywide.
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The Alameda County Waste Management Authority will be providing staffing for the implementation of the ban countywide. If Alameda opts out it will not get the county-level staff support needed to implement the ban and this will fall on Alameda staff to conduct.
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The affected retailers (large grocery stores and pharmacies) have all been made aware of the countywide ordinance and there is general acceptance of the approach (ban on plastic, fee on paper) among the retail community.
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Coming late to the party will be more trouble than it is worth. The Alameda County Waste Management Authority is providing outreach, education and enforcement of the ban and they need to know who is in and who is out in order to move forward with their outreach.
Please contact the mayor and council and let your neighbors know that Alamedan’s want to participate in the countywide ban.
At this meeting, the City Council will also consider the staff recommendation to NOT “opt out” of the mandatory recycling ordinance. CASA has been very active in supporting the City in moving forward with its own mandatory ordinance and we must also encourage the City Council to accept the staff recommendation not to “opt out”.
Thanks for your help!
