Sausalito Sustainability Commission
The Sausalito Sustainability Commission works closely with Bay Cities Refuse to help encourage residents and businesses to recycle and compost as much waste as possible. Please see the Recycling & Organics page on the benefits of composting and why it is so important to divert food waste from your trash. Please help fight climate change by placing all recyclable material in your blue bin and any food scraps in your green bin along with yard waste.
In an effort to eliminate waste that cannot be recycled or composted, Sausalito recently passed an ordinance prohibiting single-use plastics at food establishments. Businesses will be required to switch from plastic straws, plastic bags, plastic cutlery, and plastic clamshells to fiber-based options which can be composted. To reduce waste overall, these single-use takeout items will now only be provided upon request.
Sausalito Single-Use Plastics Ban Ordinance & Resources
The Sausalito Single-Use Plastics Ban prohibits the sale or distribution of single-use plastic foodware at food establishments. All food vendors are required to make the move away from disposable single-use plastic to non-plastic alternatives like those made of fiber. In addition, Compostable plastics are also banned under this ordinance. This ordinance also applies to events held in City of Sausalito property, and, or, sponsored by the City of Sausalito. To learn more please review the following materials:
- Sausalito Single-Use Plastics Ban Workshop – Video recording (December 08, 2020)
- Sausalito Single-Use Plastic Ban Overview Factsheet
- Sausalito Single-Use Foodware Purchasing Guide
- City of Sausalito Chapter 11.40 Single-Use Plastics: https://www.codepublishing.com/CA/Sausalito/#!/Sausalito11/Sausalito1140.html
Upon Request Only Requirement for Single-Use Food Accessories
Food vendors are required to provide single-use food accessories upon customer request only. Residents and visitors must ask if they would like to receive paper straws, stirrers, condiment packets, napkins, coffee sleeves, or cutlery. In addition the items listed above must be natural fiber-based.
- Upon Request Only Infographic for Food Vendors
- Update on Sausalito’s Single-Use Plastic Ban; Upon Request Only – Newsletter Article (March, 2021)
Additional Zero Waste Resources for Restaurants, Cafes, and Food Vendors
- #ContactLess Coffee, a campaign to help keep reusable coffee cups on the menu.
https://www.citytosea.org.uk/contactless-coffee/
- The Oceanic Standard, Covid-19 Resource Guidelines, Oceanic Global collaborated with hospitality industry leaders, public health experts, policy-makers, and nonprofits to develop COVID-19 reopening sustainability guidelines for businesses in the hospitality industry. https://oceanic.global/projects/covid-19-guidelines/
- Greenpeace Campaign: Support Restaurants That Choose to Reuse, We can celebrate restaurants that prioritize the health of both people and the planet. Take the reusable container challenge and join the movement that is already changing the way we eat! Let’s make reusable the new normal! https://www.greenpeace.org/international/campaign/toolkit-plastic-free-future/challenge-local-restaurant/