Surcharge On Single-Use Plastic Cups Enacted In Santa Cruz County

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA — The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved an ordinance requiring businesses to begin charging customers 25 cents for single-use disposable cups, beginning July 1, 2020. The ordinance applies to businesses in unincorporated area only.

Efforts to curb single-use plastics have been ongoing in the county.

“From being one of the first counties to offer curbside recycling to prohibiting sales of Styrofoam, Santa Cruz County has led the way when it comes to protecting the environment,” Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors Chair Ryan Coonerty said. “This represents another step forward for our community.”

The new policy aims to significantly reduce the estimated 50 million single-use cups discarded every year in Santa Cruz County. Food service cups are one of the most frequently-found types of litter on county streets and in parks, on beaches and elsewhere, according to County Zero Waste Programs Manager Tim Goncharoff.

“Our hope is that the extra charge will help remind people to bring their own cups, just as the charge for disposable bags did,” Goncharoff said. “The people of Santa Cruz County have shown over and over again that they are willing to go the extra mile to protect our local environment.”

The new law is similar to one enacted in the City of Watsonville, and other local cities are expected to take up the issue soon.