HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 11/10/2020 - Memorandum From Molly Saylor And Richard Thorp Re: October 27, 2020 Work Session Summary: Plastics Pollution UpdateEnvironmental Services
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MEMORANDUM
Date: October 30, 2020
To: Mayor Troxell and City Councilmembers
Thru: Darin Atteberry, City Manager
Jacqueline Kozak Thiel, Chief Sustainability Officer
Theresa Connor, Interim Utilities Executive Director
Liesel Hans, Utilities Deputy Director
Lucinda Smith, Environmental Services Director
From: Molly Saylor, Environmental Sustainability Senior Specialist
Richard Thorp, Lead Specialist, Science
CC: Jill Oropeza, Director of Sciences, Water Quality Services
Re: October 27, 2020 Work Session Summary: Plastics Pollution Update
Attendees: Jacqueline Kozak Thiel and Molly Saylor presented an update on microplastic and
macroplastic pollution work in light of COVID-19 challenges. Mayor Troxell, Mayor Pro Tem Stephens,
and Councilmembers Cunniff, Gorgol, Gutowsky, and Pignataro were present.
Key discussion points:
Recognition of the challenges of engaging the community and most-impacted stakeholders on
plastic pollution policy during COVID-19.
Some interest in following the impact that State legislation would have on potential local action.
There was interest in exploring a potential plastic pollution ballot measure
o Perhaps a measure to ban plastic bags and perhaps considering accessory items as well.
o Incorporating information from related actions in other communities.
Perspective that COVID-19-related challenges, such as availability of alternative items and
temporary suspensions in times of health crises, would need to be addressed
Other perspectives include:
o Interest in seeing waste-to-energy considered as part of a systems approach to plastic
pollution mitigation, specific interest in follow up on the energy content of plastic items
(see table below).
o That a ballot measure is premature until more engagement can be done, more data
collected on options (such as waste-to-energy) and COVID-19 has a lesser impact.
o Concerns were raised about impacts of a regulation on businesses and consumers,
especially while COVID-19 is reducing available options.
o Interest in more data and health-related implications
Next steps:
Macroplastics:
o December 8th work session to continue discussion of a plastic pollution ballot measure.
o Continue existing online engagement.
Microplastics:
o Staff will re-evaluate by the end of Q2 2021 if it will be feasible to complete the
microplastics study in 2021.
o By this time, more will be known about the wildfire response and recovery effort resource
needs.
o A reappropriation of 2020 funds will be required to complete this project.
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2
Table 1 summarizes a range of energy values contained in plastics often used to make single-use items.
Figure 1. Energy values of plastic types typically used to make single-use plastics. Source: Tsiamis & Castaldi (2016): Determining Accurate
Heating Values of Non-Recycled Plastics. https://plastics.americanchemistry.com/Energy-Values-Non-Recycled-Plastics.pdf
DocuSign Envelope ID: C26C0CE0-D72E-4A54-B57F-30E81C4BB89B