Long Beach Plastics Reduction Ordinance

In February 2020, Long Beach City Council passed an ordinance to help reduce disposable plastics citywide. The new ordinance builds on to the existing restaurant ban of expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam as restaurants by banning the retail sale of EPS foam products including items such as egg cartons and meat trays. The new ordinance also bans plastic straws starting in March 2020 while an exemption is included in the ordinance for those who need straws as a necessity to be able to drink their beverage. You can read more here.

The Surfrider Foundation Long Beach Chapter has been advocating for plastic reductions for over ten years after seeing plastic pollution on a regular basis at their beach cleanups. Chapter Chair, Seamus Innes, spoke in favor of the ordinance at City Council.