Cups: County Takes Further Steps To Reduce Pollution

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance requiring businesses to begin charging customers 25 cents for single-use disposable cups, beginning July 1, 2020.

The ordinance applies to businesses in the unincorporated area only, and builds on the County’s groundbreaking efforts to protect the environment by encouraging recycling and reducing litter and pollution, including measures to curb single-use plastics.

“From being one of the first counties to offer curbside recycling to prohibiting sales of Styrofoam, Santa Cruz County has led the way when it comes to protecting the environment,” Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors Chair Ryan Coonerty said. “This represents another step forward for our community.”

The new policy will significantly reduce the estimated 50 million single-use cups discarded every year in Santa Cruz County. Food service cups are one of the most frequently found types of litter on County streets and in parks, on beaches and elsewhere, according to County Zero Waste Programs Manager Tim Goncharoff.

“Our hope is that the extra charge will help remind people to bring their own cups, just as the charge for disposable bags did,” Goncharoff said. “The people of Santa Cruz County have shown over and over again that they are willing to go the extra mile to protect our local environment.”

The new law is similar to one enacted in the City of Watsonville, and other local cities are expected to take up the issue soon. Reusable cups and water bottles are widely available and should be kept clean and in good repair.

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For more information, contact County of Santa Cruz Recycling and Solid Waste Services at (831) 454-2160.

County of Santa Cruz Public Works Recycling & Trash