Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> <br />REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <br />Date: 1/22/2024 <br />Item No.: 7.c. <br />Department Approval City Manager Approval <br /> <br /> <br />Item Description: Discuss Green To Go Ordinance Engagement Strategy <br />1 <br />2 Background <br />3 108 restaurants currently operate in the City of Roseville, and the COVID-19 pandemic <br />4 resulted in many more restaurants offering takeout service. Food waste and packaging <br />5 make up about 45% of all materials in U.S. landfills, and some studies suggest that <br />6 restaurants account for nearly 80% of disposable packaging waste in the U.S. Of these <br />7 materials, polystyrene, better known as Styrofoam, is commonly used in food takeout <br />8 containers. Production, usage, and disposal of this substance presents multiple <br />9 environmental and public health risks, including contribution to the presence of <br />10 microplastics in soil and waterways. Following a January 2022 presentation from a <br />11 University of Minnesota scientist on microplastics and their environmental effect, the Public <br />12 Works, Environment, and Transportation Commission (PWETC) requested that staff <br />13 research zero waste ordinances in other cities. <br />14 <br />15 As of January 2024, the cities of Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Saint Louis Park, and Edina have <br />16 enacted ordinances to require takeout food packaging to be either commercially <br />17 compostable or recyclable, and staff has discussed a potential ordinance with the PWETC. <br />18 PWETC is in favor of conducting outreach in the community to learn about businesses’ and <br />19 residents’ reactions to a possible ordinance. <br />20 <br />21 The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Metropolitan Policy Plan for the Solid Waste <br />22 Management sets forth a goal for Metro Counties to reach a 75% recycling rate by 2030. <br />23 As of 2020, Roseville’s recycling rate was 46.2%. Implementing a takeout food packaging <br />24 ordinance, in combination with Ramsey County’s forthcoming Food Scraps Pickup <br />25 program, would help the City of Roseville come closer to meeting that goal. Additionally, <br />26 commercial businesses could reduce their solid waste fees by separately disposing of <br />27 compostable materials and food waste. <br />28 <br />29 Policy Objectives <br />30 The City of Roseville set forth a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050 <br />31 relative to 2005 levels. Solid waste disposal accounts for 2.3% of greenhouse gas <br />32 emissions in the City of Roseville as of 2020. <br />33 <br />34 Racial Equity Impact Summary <br />Page 1 of 2 <br />Qbhf!35!pg!219 <br /> <br />