This large California city is poised to ban single-use plastics
Irvine could become the latest California city to ban single-use plastics, including water bottles, bags, straws and even mylar balloons.
The Irvine City Council is set to hold public comment and vote on the proposed ordinance Tuesday night.
The ban, which would take effect next year, is similar to those already enacted by dozens of California cities and counties and follows a state law requiring non-compostable, single-use items be reduced substantially over the coming years.
Irvine’s ordinance would “expressly ban the use of expanded polystyrene and plastic containers” used in food service and retail. This would cover non-reusable bags, take-out containers and utensils. It would also prohibit the sale of mylar and latex balloons.
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Waivers could be issued only if businesses can prove “no product equivalent in function to the banned product exists,” the proposed ordinance states.
The movement to ban single-use plastics has been underway in the U.S. for many years as a growing body of research shows their negative impact on ecosystems, air quality and ultimately human health.
Humans produce more than 430 million tons of plastic each year, two-thirds of which are single-use products that end up in landfills and oceans, and often work their way into the human food chain, the United Nations Environment Program said in April.
“Plastic never truly degrades into its chemical components; instead, it physically breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces,” the California Ocean Protection Council says. “Plastics have been found in the digestive tracts of marine organisms ranging from zooplankton to whales, and microplastics have been found in drinking water and food, including shellfish, salt, beer, and honey.”
More than 170 California cities and counties already have single-use plastic bans on the books.
Senate Bill 54, which was signed into law in June 2022, requires at least 65% of plastics in California to be recycled by 2032.
Single-use plastic grocery bags will be banned statewide as of Jan. 1, 2025.
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