SWAMPSCOTT — Residents voted unanimously to approve Article 3 — a bylaw amendment prohibiting food establishments from distributing single-use takeout containers and utensils containing common single-use plastics at a Special Town Meeting Monday night.
The Regulations on Plastic Containers and Food Establishments bylaw — drafted by the Solid Waste Advisory Committee with the assistance of other municipal agencies — prohibits businesses that prepare and serve food from distributing takeout containers or utensils made from polystyrene, also known as Styrofoam, polyvinyl chloride, black plastic, or any plastic that can not be recycled in Swampscott.
“The policy development within this proposed bylaw focused on identifying bad actors and their effects on the environment and human health. We evaluated the policies of 11 different Massachusetts communities and spoke with the sponsors of many of those policies,” SWAC Chair Wayne Spritz said. “Our focus and our task became a highly-targeted policy best suited for Swampscott… it’s not a bylaw that’s really meant to be plastic-phobic. It’s a bylaw about being plastic responsible and plastic sustainable.”
Presenting the proposed bylaw amendment, Spritz told the crowd that the bylaw change would also require food establishments to provide disposable utensils and condiments by customer request only and apply to non-restaurant food establishments such as schools, religious institutions, farmers’ markets, and food trucks.
The bylaw also prohibits food establishments from using takeout or disposable beverage containers lined with “intentionally-added” PFAS chemicals. These forever-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals often coat water-resistant products.
Before the crowd unanimously voted to approve Article 3, a Town Meeting member asked Spritz about the bylaw’s potential impact on local businesses. In response, Spritz reminded the audience that the warrant article followed numerous meetings between SWAC members and local business owners. He said that business owners did not express much negative feedback on the bylaw in these meetings.
“We appreciate there are some who think this doesn’t go far enough, and there are also some who think it goes too far. We think we struck the right balance to be effective,” Spritz said. “From the list (of impacted businesses) that we do have, we feel that the impact will not be unreasonable.”
Additionally, Spritz added that the bylaw will go into effect July 1, giving food establishment owners ample time to prepare.
“Living on the ocean, our community is highly-sensitive and committed to reducing pollution. SWAC continues to monitor this every month … This bylaw is just one part of a larger, ongoing challenge. In the next few months, SWAC is working on a five-year plan to continue reducing our solid waste footprint on the environment,” Spritz said.
