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Santa Barbara council adopts expanded single‑use materials ordinance after public debate
Summary
The Santa Barbara City Council on Feb. 10 adopted an ordinance updating municipal code to broaden prohibitions on expanded polystyrene and single‑use items, add compostable foodware standards, restrict small single‑use water bottles on city property and ban certain balloons and plastic confetti; staff announced grants and phased enforcement.
The Santa Barbara City Council voted Feb. 10 to adopt an ordinance revising local rules on single‑use materials, expanding existing prohibitions and launching a phased implementation aimed at helping businesses transition.
City staffer Daniella Rosales presented the ordinance to the council, saying it would amend titles and chapters of the Santa Barbara Municipal Code to add rigid polystyrene products to the local prohibition, require compostable‑compatible foodware where applicable, and prohibit the sale and distribution of small (8‑ounce) single‑use plastic water bottles at city‑owned and operated facilities. Rosales described outreach and pilot programs the city used to inform the proposal: door‑to‑door visits to 157 businesses, a survey of 282 businesses that found 56 using disposable service ware on site, and a reusable cup pilot with June Coffee that staff said resulted in about 17,000 reusable cups used during the trial.
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