DATE: January 8, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Water Utilities Department
TITLE: UPDATE ON MARINE DEBRIS REDUCTION ORDINANCE
RECOMMENDATION
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Staff recommends that the City Council receive an update on the Marine Debris Reduction Ordinance (MDRO).
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
On August 23, 2023, the City Council approved and adopted an ordinance aimed at reducing marine debris by expanding on the State's current single-use plastic bag ban and adding a prohibition on polystyrene foam (e.g., Styrofoam) sales in the City of Oceanside (Ordinance 23-OR0645-1). A copy of the Ordinance is included as Attachment 2. Key effective dates of the ordinance include the July 1, 2024, prohibition of polystyrene foam products, and the January 1, 2025, prohibition of single-use carryout bags, where businesses may provide a reusable bag or recyclable paper bag for at least a 10-cent charge.
The City contracted with The Oceanside Chamber of Commerce ($10,000), and MainStreet Oceanside ($10,500), to conduct education and outreach to the business community, including engaging stakeholders, magazine and newsletter articles, in-person and online educational workshops, door-to-door outreach and technical assistance, MDRO messaging at two informational kiosks, distributing educational flyers at the weekly Farmer's Market and via the Downtown Ambassador Program, and social media messaging. MainStreet Oceanside's contractual obligation has ended, but the Chamber of Commerce's runs through June 30, 2025.
During the outreach activities, businesses were largely aware of the ordinance and understood the requirements. Currently, non-compliance is addressed on a complaint-received basis, with an education-first approach, where businesses are educated on the requirements of the ordinance and offered technical assistance. To date, there have been only a few complaints received. In those case, the businesses in question were contacted and additional enforcem...
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