Oceanside City Council to consider ban on styrofoam

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OCEANSIDE, Calif. — Oceanside City Council unanimously passed a ban on Styrofoam containers and other products, as well as single-use plastic bags at its Tuesday night meeting.

Supporters of the ordinance say banning these plastic products will protect our oceans and beaches.

“Plastic’s a problem for our oceans, our beaches, our communities, and for public health for humans and animals as well," said Mitch Silverstein, San Diego County Policy Coordinator with the Surfrider Foundation.

“Everyone wants cleaner beaches; no one wants plastic in our communities. It’s just a matter of getting it right," added Silverstein.

CBS 8 spoke to business owners on and off camera. Some say the new ordinance would only raise their prices.

“It’s ridiculous. Am I going to charge more money in a little souvenir shop, or am I expected to bear the brunt of it myself. It's getting increasingly expensive whatever you do," said Heather Foster, Little Louie’s Gift Shop & Souvenirs Owner.

“We can’t ban everything that’s not our goal, but we just need to, as a culture, really start looking past single-use plastic items and use better and reusable materials," said Silverstein.

Silverstein, who supports the ban, says Styrofoam is not bio-degradable and pollutes local waterways, which endangers marine life.

“It just turns into smaller and smaller pieces that are impossible to manage, and once it gets in the ocean, you can’t get it out," added Silverstein.

A similar ban was approved by the San Diego City Council last year. The ban went into effect in April this year.

“Over 80 cities have done that already in the state, and we’re hoping Oceanside will do it tonight," said Silverstein.

This new ban will go into effect in July of next year for all Styrofoam products. The single-use plastic ban will go into effect in January 2025, earlier than the original proposal of July 2025.

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