Background:
Roughly two-thirds of all plastic ever produced has been released into the environment and remains there in some form as debris in the oceans, as microparticles or nanoparticles in air and agricultural soils, as microfibers in water supplies, or as microparticles in the human body. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, trash, packaging, and improperly disposed waste accounts for 80% of the marine debris found on beaches during clean-ups, and up to two-thirds of the debris comes from single-use, disposable packaging from food and beverage related goods and services (e.g., plastic cups, bottles, straws, utensils, and stirrers). Due to environmental and human health impacts from pervasive plastics, local jurisdictions across the U.S. (in approximately 26 states) and internationally (approximately 127 countries) have begun to regulate or ban single-use plastic products.
The following Florida jurisdictions are known to be prohibiting single-use plastics in some capacity: Alachua County, Coconut Creek, Coral Gables, Dania Beach, Deerfield Beach, Delray Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Gainesville, Hallandale Beach, Hollywood, Largo, Leon County, Marco Island, Miami Beach, Miami Dade County, Orlando, Palm Beach, Sanibel Island, St. Augustine Beach, St. Petersburg, Surfside, and West Palm Beach.
The City of Sunrise has developed a Sustainability Action Plan – the Sunrise SAP (Resolution No. 19-63) to guide and improve sustainability of the City across its departments and within our community.
This resolution endorses the Good and Green Events Policy (Policy) which supports implementation of the Sunrise SAP goals; RM3 – reduce the City’s greenhouse gas emissions, S1 – protect water and air resources, S4 – create a sustainable ethic, and S5 – increase the City’s waste diversion rate. The City recognizes that while certain single-use plastics are recyclable, most are not recycled and often end up in overburdened landfills, waterways, and the ocean. The Policy intends to reduce the impact on the local environment from the City’s many special events and festivals by reducing waste generated, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing event recycling, and engaging City departments, residents, vendors, and event attendees to foster environmental stewardship.
The Policy establishes a Good and Green Standard, the minimum sustainability standard, for all City-hosted/City-funded special events and festivals held on City property. The Good and Green Standard encourages the use of alternatives to single-use plastics (e.g., bags, Styrofoam™); prohibits balloons, single-use plastic straws, and smoking generators; and requires recycling collection and sustainability educational signage. All City-hosted/City-funded events must meet, at a minimum, the Good and Green Standard level. The Good and Green Steward and Good and Green Hero levels are strongly encouraged but are not required. However, the Sunrise Earth Day Festival must meet the Good and Green Hero level.
Events not managed by the City, such as the rental of City facilities by the general public, and the use of City facilities through partnered agreements (example: weddings held at the civic center, and swim meets) are exempt from the Policy. In recognition that some persons may have disabilities or medical conditions, plastic straws will be provided upon request.
The Policy is not expected to produce a large fiscal impact to the City. There are available and reasonable, environmentally-friendly alternatives which are biodegradable, renewable, or reusable.