Getting Ready: York youth are leading the way to ban single-use plastics in town

On May 18th York voters will have an opportunity to reduce plastic pollution by voting yes on Article 66, Ordinance to Regulate Sale and Distribution of Single-Use Plastic Food Ware. The ordinance will restrict the sale and distribution of single-use plastic straws, stir sticks and utensils.

York has long been a leader in addressing plastic pollution by passing local ordinances banning some of the most unnecessary, non-recyclable, disposable plastics, namely, single-use plastic carry-out bags (2015) and polystyrene food containers (2019), both now banned state-wide.

In the fall of 2021, four members of the York High School Eco Club formed the Plastic Reduction Task Force, meeting weekly to educate themselves and consider what they could do to reduce plastic pollution. “As a young person, I feel passionate about finding effective solutions to reduce our harmful impact on the environment,” said Eco Club member Maxine Adelson.

Starting with their school cafeteria and working closely with York School District Food and Nutrition Director Whitney Thorton, the Task Force successfully replaced high school cafeteria disposable trays and utensils with reusable alternatives.

Determined to have an impact on the wider community and inspired by previous student successes in spearheading ordinances, the task force identified four single-use plastic foodware items that have been successfully replaced by reusable or compostable items in towns and cities nationally and internationally.

In July 2023, task force members Chloe Whitbread, Aidan Ring and Maxine Adelson presented a single-use plastic foodware ordinance to the York Selectboard. In the interest of balancing the goals of the task force with those of the business community, the Selectboard voted against moving the ordinance to the voters and instead formed the Single-Use Plastic Reduction Ordinance Town Committee. “I desperately hoped that the ordinance would successfully pass the Selectboard. The issue of plastic pollution has been such a vivid concern in my life. I could not fathom anyone disagreeing with our efforts to fix the problem,” said task force member Chloe Whitbread.

Rising above their disappointment and committed to reducing plastics, task force members applied and were accepted to serve on the newly created town committee alongside Jason Miller (St. Joe's Coffee & Moose Burger), Caitlynn Ramsey (Anchorage Inn & Sun and Surf Restaurant), Veronica Gould (Rick’s Blue Jay Café), and Michelle Marean, community member.

According to Chloe, “The committee worked to improve the language, structure and content of the ordinance. An intergenerational effort fostered community building and understanding and provided lessons in compromise”.

The work of the committee, a public hearing and two information sessions resulted in an ordinance that would restrict the sale and distribution of single-use plastic straws, stir sticks and utensils. Single-use plastic cups and lids, included in the original ordinance, were eliminated from the final draft.

On February 26, the Selectboard unanimously agreed to move the Ordinance to Regulate Sale and Distribution of Single-Use Plastic Food Ware to the May 18 Referendum.

“We support the restriction on plastic straws and utensils because there are equivalent alternatives and we believe the benefits outweigh the increased costs," said Caitlynn Ramsey, a business owner and committee member.

“This ordinance is an important next step for York to take to contribute to a more sustainable future.I believe in this project because it is an actionable and practical way for us to make real progress on reducing plastics in our environment,” Maxine Adelson, Plastic Reduction Task Force and committee member.

The plastic crisis is real. It touches every aspect of our lives. Even if you don’t see discarded plastic in the community, tiny pieces of micro and (and even smaller) nano plastics have been found in drinking water, salt, honey, oysters, clams, lobsters and inside us. Our youth are telling us the time is now to embrace alternatives to single-use plastic foodware.

A yes vote on Article 66 means an end to single-use plastic straws, utensils and stir sticks.

Polls are open Saturday, May 18, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at York High School. Absentee ballots are available on April 18 at the temporary York Town Hall, 4 Market Place Drive.

Victoria Simon is the volunteer advisor of the York High School ECO Club.