BOROUGH OF HAWORTH ORDINANCE #19­11 AN   ORDINANCE   TO   AMEND   CHAPTER   III   OF   THE   CODE   OF   THE BOROUGH OF HAWORTH ENTITLED, “POLICE REGULATIONS”. BE IT ORDAINED by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Haworth, County of Bergen, State of New Jersey, as follows: Section 1. Chapter III of the Code of the Borough of Haworth, Police Regulations, §3­3, Prohibiting The Use of Polystyrene By Retail Food Establishments, be and is hereby amended to read as follows: 3­3 PROHIBITING THE USE OF POLYSTYRENE, PLASTIC BAGS AND SINGLE USE PLASTIC STRAWS BY FOOD AND RETAIL SALES ESTABLISHMENTS. 3­3.1 Definitions. As used in this section: Department shall mean the Municipal Recycling Coordinator as  designated by the Mayor and Council.   Disposable   food   container  shall   mean   a   container,   bowl,   plate,   tray,   utensil, carton, cup, lid or other item designed for one­time use for foods. Disposable  food   container  includes food   ware for   take­out   foods   and   leftovers from partially consumed meals prepared by food vendors. Food   establishment  shall   mean   an   operation   that   stores,   prepares,   packages,   serves,   vends,   or   otherwise   provides   food   for   human   consumption, including but not limited to, any establishment requiring a permit to operate in accordance with the State and local regulations. 1 Plastic  shall   mean   an   organic   or   petroleum   derivative   synthetic   or   a   semisynthetic organic solid that is moldable, and to which additives or   other substances may have been added, except for natural polymers that have not been chemically modified. Polystyrene shall mean and include expanded polystyrene (EPS) which is  a thermoplastic petrochemical material utilizing a styrene monomer and  processed by any number of techniques including, but not limited to,   fusion   of   polymer   spheres   (expandable   bead   polystyrene),   injection   molding,   form   molding,   and   extrusion­blow   molding   (extruded   foam   polystyrene).   The   term   “polystyrene”   also   include   clear   or   solid   polystyrene, which is known as “oriented polystyrene”. Polystyrene   foam  shall   mean   blown   polystyrene   and   expanded   and   extruded foams using polystyrene. Post­consumer   recycled   material  shall   mean  a   material   that   would   otherwise   be   destined   for   solid   waste   disposal,   having   completed   its   intended end use and product life cycle. Postconsumer recycled material  does   not   include   materials   and   byproducts   generated   from,   and   commonly   reused   within,   an   original   manufacturing   and   fabrication   process. Recyclable, with regard to a material, shall mean that a material that   would otherwise be disposed of or processed as waste can be recovered,  separated,   collected   and   reprocessed   for   the   purpose   of   using   the   reprocessed material in the manufacture of a new product. Recycled paper bag shall mean a paper bag that is 100 percent recyclable and contains a minimum of 40 percent postconsumer recycled content.   Reusable grocery bag shall mean a sewn bag with stitched handles that  is (i) specifically designed and manufactured for at least 175 uses; (ii) can carry 25 pounds over a distance of 300 feet, (iii) is machine­washable or  made from a material that can be cleaned or disinfected; (iv) contains a  minimum of 20 percent post­consumer recycled material if made from  plastic. and minimum 3 mil plastic bag printed as reusable so that it is clear to the customer. 2 Retail   sales   establishment  shall  mean   any   person,   corporation,   partnership,   business   venture,   or   vendor   that   sells   or   provides   merchandise,   goods   or   materials   directly   to   a   customer,   whether   for   profit   or   not   for   profit,   including   but   not   limited   to   restaurants,   pharmacies, convenience and grocery stores, liquor stores, seasonal and  temporary businesses, jewelry stores, and household goods stores. Single­use carryout bag shall mean a bag made of plastic, paper, or other  material that is provided by a store to a customer at the point of sale that is not a recycled paper bag or a reusable grocery bag. Single­use plastic straw  shall mean a single­use, disposable tube made  predominantly of plastic derived from either petroleum or a biologically   based polymer, such as corn or other plant sources, used to transfer a  beverage   from   a   container   to   the   mouth   of   the   person   drinking   the   beverage.   “Single­use   plastic   straw”  or   container  shall   not   include   a   straw or container made from  non­plastic materials, including, but not   limited to, paper, pasta, sugar cane, wood, or bamboo, or a straw  or   container expressly marketed as and intended for reuse. 3­3.2 Prohibition.  a. or  No   person   may   sell   or   provide   in   the   Borough   of   Haworth   any   food ware product composed in whole or in part of extruded expanded polystyrene foam: 1. No Retail Establishment or Food Distributor shall serve or   sell   prepared   food   or   beverage   in   polystyrene   foam and shall not package meat, eggs, bakery products, or food in polystyrene foam containers.   2. No Store, Food Distributor, or Food Packager shall package  meat,   eggs,   bakery   products,   or   other   food   in foam containers.   3. No Store that sells tangible personal property at retail shall  sell polystyrene foam food or beverage containers.   4. No polystyrene foam food or beverage container shall be used in any government facility or government sponsored event. containers  other  polystyrene  3 5. No   government   department   or   facility   shall   purchase   or   acquire polystyrene foam food or beverage containers.   6. All parties who contract with the government shall be  prohibited   from   using   polystyrene   foam   food   and beverage  containers   in   government   facilities   or   on government­funded  projects within the Borough. b. Except   as  provided   in  this   section,   a   retail   sales   establishment   shall not provide a single­use carryout bag to a customer at the  point   of   sale   or   otherwise   make   plastic   bags   available   to customers.  This prohibition does not apply to: 1. Non­handled bag used to protect items from  damaging or   contaminating   other   purchased   items   placed   in   a paper bag or a reusable grocery bag. 2. Bags used by customers inside a business to package loose  items, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, ground coffee, candies, small hardware items; bags used to contain frozen foods, meat and fish, flowers or potted plants, items to contain dampness. 3. Laundry,   dry   cleaning,   or   garment   bags,   including   bags   provided   by   hotels   to   guests   to   contain   wet   or   dirty 4. Bags sold in packages containing multiple bags intended for  use as garbage, pet waste, or yard waste bags. 5. Bags used to contain live animals, such as fish or insects   sold in pet stores. 6. Bags used to transport chemical pesticides, drain­cleaning   chemicals, or other caustic chemicals sold at the retail provided   that   this   exemption   shall   be   limited   to   one customer. recycled  grains,  or wrap  or other  clothing.   level;  bag per  c. A food or other retail establishment shall not provide a single­use  plastic   straw   or   bag   to   a   customer,   unless   that   customer requests  a   single­use   plastic   straw   or   bag   due   to   physical disability or  medical   condition.    A   cold   drink   stirrer may be provided to any customer upon request. 4 d. Food establishments required to only provide straws on request   shall   clearly   and   visibly   display   signage   developed   by   the Borough,   as described in §3­3.2e of this Ordinance.  e. The Borough shall design and publish on the municipal website   signage   advertising   this   ordinance   and   explaining   that single­use  plastic straws are intended primarily for those with a disability.  3­3.3 Reusable Bags, Recycled Paper Bags. a. A retail sales establishment may make available for purchase a   recycled paper bag, for a charge of no less than $0.10. b. A retail sales establishment may make available for purchase a   reusable grocery bag, for a charge of no less than $0.10. c. A retail sales establishment which collects a charge under §3­3.3a  and b shall exempt a customer from the paper bag fee when that  customer uses an electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card or is  using  a payment  card or voucher  issued by  the     for  the   Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Special  Supplemental Nutrition Program  for  Women,  Infants, and Children  (WIC). d. All fees collected pursuant to this section shall be retained by the  retail sales establishment. e. A retail establishment affected by regulations pursuant to §3­3.2b  of   this   Ordinance   shall   clearly   and   visibly   display   at   each check­ out   counter   or   register   signage   developed   by   the Borough as  described in §3­3.3f of this Ordinance.  f. The Borough Environmental Commission shall design educational  materials for display in retail establishments. Educational   materials   shall   include,   but   not   be   limited   to;   (i)   an announcement  of the passage of this ordinance; (ii) a reminder to bring reusable  bags; and (iii) the mandatory $0.10 fee charged on paper and  reusable bags. g. The Municipal Recycling Coordinator may promulgate rules and   regulations to implement §3­3.2 and 3­3.3 of this Ordinance. 3­3.4 Enforcement Penalties. 5 a. violation  Upon being made aware of a potential violation of this ordinance,  the   Department   shall   investigate   and   determine   whether   a has occurred. b. If   the   investigation   confirms   that   a   violation   has   occurred,   the   Department   shall   give   written   notice   to   the   owner   of   the property,  the owner’s agent, and/or the person committing the violation that  the violation is occurring and must immediately cease. c. and shall  d. If an additional violation of this Ordinance has occurred within one month after a warning notice has been issued for an initial  violation,   the   Department   shall   issue   a   notice   of   violation impose a penalty against the retail establishment. The penalty for each violation that occurs after the issuance of the  warning notice shall be no more than: 1. $500 for the first offense. 2. $1,000 for the second offense and all subsequent offenses.   Payment of such fines may be enforced through civil action. Section 2.    Severability. If any section, sentence or any other part of this Ordinance is adjudged unconstitutional or invalid, such judgment shall not effect, impair or invalidate the   remainder   of   this   Ordinance   but   shall   be   confined   in   its   effect   to   the section,   sentence   or   other   part   of   this   Ordinance   directly   involved   in   the controversy which such judgment shall be rendered. Section 3.   Inconsistent Ordinances Repealed. All  ordinances   or   parts   or   ordinances   which   are  inconsistent   with   the provisions of this ordinance are hereby repealed, but only to the extent of such inconsistencies. 6 Section 4.  Effective Date. This   Ordinance   shall   take   effect  ___________   days  6   months  after publication thereof and final passage as required by law. 7           ____________________________________ THOMAS FERENCE, Mayor ___________________________________ ANN E. FAY, RMC Borough Clerk Introduced:                             Adopted:    Approved: