By KENNETH LIPP/YachatsNews
WALDPORT — Waldport is on track to join Newport and Lincoln City among Lincoln County municipalities to enact bans and restrictions on plastic takeout materials.
Waldport City Council held a first public reading last week of an ordinance that is essentially a carbon copy of one implemented Jan. 1 in Newport — city manager Dann Cutter noted he even requested and received permission from Newport to use its one-page infographic.
Councilors unanimously agreed to move forward to a second reading in March with little discussion, although several noted they were confused why plastic cups would be allowed while plastic food containers would not. Cutter said he had a simple answer to that question: “Starbucks.” The global coffee chain with billions in annual revenue, which operates a busy store in Newport, serves all of its cold drinks in such cups, and its legal resources outmatch anything small cities might muster.
If adopted in March, the ordinance would go into effect July 1, giving local restaurants three months to transition their stock. Cutter told YachatsNews prior to Thursday’s meeting he’d spoken to several local restaurant operators who said a July deadline was manageable.
James Little, co-owner of SkōSH at the corner of Northwest Spring Street and U.S. Highway 101, said he didn’t know the city was considering an ordinance, but it would require little adjustment to his operation. All of the restaurant’s to-go containers have been compostable since they’ve been in Waldport, he said. Even their utensils are biodegradable.
Staff at the Salty Dog near the Alsea Bay marina were also unaware of the proposed ordinance. Most of the restaurant’s takeout materials are paper, but they still use some foam. They said they could make the adjustment by July if the city requires it.
Banning foam and plastic
During the past decade, governments worldwide have taken steps to phase out single-use polystyrene foam, often incorrectly referred to by the brand name Styrofoam. Plastic foam is technically recyclable, but its composition makes collection and transportation so energy intensive that it can outweigh the environmental benefits of recycling. It’s also particularly harmful to the ecosystem due to its easy disintegration into microplastic, which is difficult to clean up and makes its way into the food chain.
Eight states, including Washington, and dozens of large cities nationwide have enacted polystyrene foam bans, and it’s banned in more than 70 countries.
A statewide ban failed in the 2019 Legislature, but Portland, Eugene, Silverton and other cities have enacted foam bans and “by-request-only” regulations on all single-use plastic. Florence has banned foam containers and plastic bags since 2017, and a polystyrene foam ban in Lincoln City has been in effect for 19 months.
Waldport could soon have among the strictest of such laws in Oregon. Newport’s ordinance, developed with coastal environmental watchdog the Surfrider Foundation, appears to be the only one in the state that not only bans foam but any plastic food containers. Plastic but not foam drink cups are allowed.
The move in Waldport was originally prompted by local 16-year-old Leanna Rios, who has visited most of the cities in Lincoln County to request they consider plastic container bans. During Thursday’s public comment period, Rios thanked council members for taking action.
The new rules
Unlike in Newport and Lincoln City, however, Waldport’s proposed ordinance would not ban plastic bags.
Restaurants could no longer use disposable items for any in-house dining, although napkins, wrappers and paper trays are exempt. As a caveat, cafeterias operating with counter service can have a self-serve station with single-use plastic utensils.
Plastic knives and forks can be provided to go at food trucks, restaurants and grocery store delis, but customers must ask for them. The same goes for condiments in single-serve plastic containers and packets, both to-go and dine-in.
Takeout food containers must be compostable or metal. “Biodegradable” plastic containers are not allowed.
There are exceptions.
Single-use condiments that are an ingredient of a dish, like salad dressing, don’t have to be requested, and plastic straws attached to drinks such as juice boxes, would also be allowed.
Food in plastic containers that is pre-packaged for sale by the manufacturer will also be permitted. Newport interpreted this to include meals like salads in containers with clear plastic lids prepared and sold at grocery stores.
Plastic lids for compostable or metal to-go food containers are also allowed.
Councilors agreed that while the measure wasn’t perfect it was an important first step, and “the point is to send less plastic to the landfill.”
- Kenneth Lipp is YachatsNews’ full-time reporter and can be reached at KenLipp@YachatsNews.com