Plastic Utensils May Soon Be Prohibited In Malibu

MALIBU, CA – The sale, distribution and use of single-use plastic utensils may soon be prohibited within Malibu city limits – City Council is only one vote away. The council tentatively passed the ordinance on Monday, and will take a final vote on Feb. 26. The measure is expected to take effect on June 1.

The move is another segment of Malibu's long-term campaign to eliminate the use of all kinds of single-use plastic items that negatively affect the environment, Malibu Mayor Rick Mullen said.

"Malibu is a leader in environmental protections, and we've made great progress in addressing plastic pollution, including bans on plastic bags, plastic sandbags and polystyrene foam," Mullen said.

"We are now adding plastic straws, plastic stirrers and plastic cutlery to the list of plastic ... that we will at the source so it doesn't reach our beaches and the open ocean," he said. "The ocean, beaches and natural surroundings are a central part of life in Malibu. We are absolutely committed to keeping them clean for ourselves, our children and their children in the future."

To raise awareness among the business community, city officials plan to provide a box of environmentally safe paper straws to each Malibu food service business. The straws will carry the city's "Keep it Clean Malibu" slogan, and the city will promote the fact that sustainable, reusable straws and cutlery are available in metal, wood, glass, bamboo and other materials.

City News Service and Patch staffer Emily Holland contributed to this post; Image via Herlanzer Tenhue/Shutterstock