Waste reduction isn’t an issue we lead on at the Delaware Chapter, but not because we don’t care about the issue or can’t do anything about it. Rather, we don’t generally lead on this issue because we have wonderful partner organizations that already do! In the environmental community, we try to stress the importance of partnerships in all the things we work on down in Dover. Dividing and conquering is sometimes the best strategy. In this case, we rely on the leadership of Plastic Free Delaware and Zero Waste First State. These two great organizations led on the bills below, but we were proud to support them when called upon and push these bills forward in the legislative process.
HB 111: This “Skip the Stuff” bill seeks to reduce the amount of single-use food service products like utensils, condiments, napkins, etc., that are offered for to-go orders unprompted.
Final Status:
Sierra Club Work: Although reducing the amount of single-use products given out by restaurants would reduce their costs, representatives from the restaurant industry came out in strong opposition to this bill. This led to many discussions between advocates and the bill sponsor, Representative Sophie Phillips, and a substitute bill was introduced with greater clarity around penalties and exempting several entities like schools, healthcare facilities, and nonprofit organizations. Despite several public comments in support during the committee meeting, the bill was not passed before the end of this leg of the legislative session and will be up for discussion when the legislative session resumes in January.
SB 130: This Act prohibits retail stores and wholesalers from selling, distributing, or offering for sale expanded polystyrene foam products, including expanded polystyrene foam food service packaging, expanded polystyrene foam coolers used for cold storage of food, and expanded polystyrene foam loose fill packaging.
Final Status:
Sierra Club Work:
We supported our friends at Plastic Free Delaware and Zero Waste First State by providing public comment on SB 130.