TAMPA, Fla. — On Thursday, the Tampa City Council voted unanimously to pass a resolution supporting the restriction of single-use plastics and Styrofoam on city properties.
Whit Remer, the city's Sustainability and Resilience Officer, presented the resolution to council members as part of Mayor Jane Castor's project Transforming Tampa's Tomorrow, which aims to establish "sustainable best practices" within the city.
Single-use plastics and Styrofoam are not recyclable in Tampa's recycling program, a city spokesperson said. The city says the resolution is designed to "support the reduction and elimination of single-use plastics" in Tampa and "encourage local businesses and residents to restrict the consumption and distribution of these items."
Additionally, the resolution calls for the development of "a public outreach and education program" to encourage businesses to replace single-use plastics with alternatives that are more environmentally friendly.
"Tampa’s environmental future depends on our actions today,” Castor said. “By moving away from Styrofoam, we can create a more sustainable and resilient City—which is one of the core pillars of Transforming Tampa’s Tomorrow and our commitment to sustainability & resilience in everything we do. This is one small, yet important, step that we can take today to make a big impact on our future for generations to come.”
Back in 2018, St. Petersburg passed a ban against using single-use plastic straws at restaurants and food establishments. The ordinance became mandatory at the beginning of this year.
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