Pamela Cruz. Pen sula 360 Press [P360P].
The city of San Mateo aims to be more environmentally friendly, which is why it isand seeks to ban single-use plastic products in restaurants, supermarkets and grocery stores that sell prepared food.
This was reported by The Daily Journal, which reported that the initiative will be presented to the San Mateo County Council in early 2021.
According to the newspaper, this initiative will require compostable utensils to be used instead of plastic ones, and will regulate plastic items prepared in stores; however, plastic items can still be purchased for use elsewhere, such as forks, toothpicks, and spoons, among others.
According to the note, the ban will affect 428 establishments in the town. However, the pandemic and the low attendance at these establishments will allow the owners to gradually adapt to this new modality.
Although the initiative will be presented at the end of January or beginning of February of next year, the city is not expected to begin enforcing the law until 2022, according to the city's deputy mayor, Eric Rodriguez.
The goal of having the initiative take legal effect within two months is to ensure that San Mateo restaurants are not disadvantaged and have an action plan in place before its implementation.
In light of this, it was noted that the city plans to meet, at the end of this year, the restaurateurs and owners of convenience stores and places that sell prepared food, to alert them about the possible changes that will be carried out next year.
The local newspaper reported that San Mateo County will be responsible for enforcing the ban, including financial costs, which encouraged the city to participate.
With the above, the City of San Mateo plans to make its ordinance similar to the county's, which was passed this year, which requires the use of non-plastic compostable product items instead of plastic products.
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