Submitted By
Dr. Theresa Chapple, Health Department Director
Reviewed By
A.M. Zayyad, Deputy Village Manager
Agenda Item Title
Title
An Ordinance Amending Chapter 20 ("Public Health"), Article 8 ("Single-Use Plastic Foodware and Polystyrene Foam Packaging"), Section 20-8-4 ("Polystyrene Foam Packing Prohibited") and Section 20-8-6 ("Penalty") of the Oak Park Village Code
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Overview
Overview
The Single-Use Plastic Ordinance, adopted by the Board on May 15, 2023, will prohibit food establishments from using polystyrene foam food packaging products by January 1, 2024. Staff will support restaurants in complying with the ordinance through the Oak Park Green Business program, a partnership with the Illinois Green Business Program and Smart Energy Design Assistance Center. This amendment includes provides additional language concerning the enforcement process for the prohibition on polystyrene packaging.
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Recommendation
Recommendation
Adopt the ordinance amendment.
Background
In October 2022, the Board asked Staff to prepare an ordinance prohibiting polystyrene foam foodware in restaurants. From November 2022 through January 2023, Staff facilitated three Single-Use Plastic Policy Design workshops that led community members from impacted groups through a collaborative design-thinking process to develop the new policy. Between February and April 2023, Staff presented the updated plastics reduction ordinance twice to the Business Advisory Council and twice to the Environment and Energy Commission, and incorporated the input from both groups. Staff solicited broader community and restaurant owner input through a survey hosted on the Engage Oak Park site. The survey was distributed through Village communications channels, in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce, and via direct mail and email to each licensed restaurant.
On May 15, 2023, Staff presented an ordinance in alignment with the Climate Ready Oak Park plan (action PP01), the outcomes of the...
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