At a recent meeting of the Newton City Council’s Programs and Services Committee, City Councilor Vicki Danberg offered an amendment to Newton’s Sustainable Food Containers and Packaging Ordinance to ban the use of additional single-use plastic items — including stirrers, utensils, water bottles — by food service and retail establishments in order to protect public health, advance solid waste reduction, protect waterways, and reduce the carbon footprint of the city’s business and residents.
While several owners of restaurants and other food establishments expressed willingness to work with the City to find ways to meet the July 1, 2024 effective date of the proposed ordinance, they noted their current inventory of takeout food containers, which do not meet the ordinance’s criteria for reuse, recycle or compostability. Several owners expressed concern about the cost of complying with the new requirements for takeout containers.
At the same time, several food establishments have already initiated measures to reduce or eliminate waste resulting from takeout containers made of foam polystyrene and black plastic. Ayr Muir, founder and CEO of Clover Food Labs, a chain of vegetarian food trucks and restaurants, like the one at 835 Washington Street, Newtonville, has always advocated for environmentally friendly food establishments. Mr. Muir notes that Clover’s takeout packaging is 100% compostable and that Clover Food Labs was the first in the nation to adopt a policy of total compostability. He believes the benefits to society of using environmentally friendly materials “outweighs the costs.” Moreover, he supports municipal initiatives that offer “a more consistent path forward to create a level playing field,” for restaurants and other food establishments. Kevin Grady, manager at the Newtonville Clover, added that wherever possible, the company buys locally sourced food products to support local economy and to minimize carbon emissions in transporting supplies from a longer distance.
Margie Bell is CEO of Recirclable, a non-profit providing restaurants and food establishments with 100% reusable takeout containers. Customers of those establishments “borrow” a set number of completely reusable takeout containers that can be returned to the restaurant where the takeout occurred — or to any Recirclable food establishment — where they will be washed and sanitized according to Board of Health requirements. Ms. Bell said they ”aim to keep the cost at or below plastic.” Her goal is to work with as many restaurants as possible, so customers have the convenience of dropping off their containers at other restaurants, a system likely to stimulate business across the food service industry.
Karen Masterson, owner of Johnny’s Luncheonette and Cabot’s, spoke about the possibility of restaurants working together to order takeout containers, thereby reducing costs. Among Recirclable’s Newton customers are Judith’s Kitchen (1371 Washington Street, West Newton), Grape Leaf (6 Lincoln Street, Newton Highlands), and Little Luke’s Cafe (1225 Chestnut Street, Upper Falls). Judith Kalish, owner of Judith’s Kitchen, explained that she is a recent Recirclable customer: “I decided to use them because I would love to do my part, no matter how small, to help save this earth.” She said, “Recirclable containers are a bit more expensive for me than the cheaper plastic containers, but they are equal in price to the paper box containers that I purchase.” Among their benefits — apart from their environment-saving advantage — she noted that they are sturdier and easier to use than non-reusable containers, and the lids fit better, as well. “By using these containers, we are helping to eliminate plastic, which is devastating for the earth …There is no real disadvantage besides the fact that customers need to get used to the process of checking them out and returning them — but I am sure that that process is something that, with time, people would get to and it would become the norm.”
For Phil Emmanuel, owner of the Grape Leaf and Little Luke’s Cafe, the cost of Recirclable containers is fixed, whereas recyclable container pricing “fluctuates like crazy.” He noted that if more people used Recirclable, it would be ”much better for everyone and more convenient.” He suggested that the City undertake an initiative to encourage use, as is the case with the nickel deposit on bottles. He has been a satisfied Recirclable customer for about six to eight months.
Karl O’Hara, owner of Paddy’s Public House (95 Elm Street, West Newton) and O’Hara’s (1185 Walnut Street, Newton Highlands), made the case that he has at least six months’ worth of non-recyclable takeout containers (with black bottoms). He has already switched to corn-based straws and has ordered white plastic takeout containers going forward. Thus far, the challenge has been finding white-bottomed salad takeout containers. He expressed sympathy for the challenge confronting businesses selling high volumes of single-serve plastic bottles of water covered by the proposed ban. He predicted that if they find some recyclable containers, they will be more expensive and the cost will be passed along to the consumer.
City Councilor Vicki Danberg — who proposed the ordinance amendment banning single-use plastic water bottles and non-recyclable takeout containers — will continue to engage with local businesses to promote support for and compliance with the ordinance’s final version. Twenty-four Massachusetts municipalities have already adopted similar restrictions.
