Miami-Dade, FL - Miami-Dade County Commissioners are set to vote on a groundbreaking resolution to ban single-use plastics and Styrofoam in county-owned facilities.
If passed, the measure would require the use of alternatives like aluminum bottles, washable ceramics, or compostable plates, signaling a major step toward reducing plastic waste in Florida.
Proposed by Commissioner Eileen Higgins, the resolution aims to tackle the harmful impact of plastics on the environment and human health.
“I don’t want to go into any county-owned facility and see single-use plastics when there is a viable, cost-effective alternative,” Higgins said.
Plastic pollution has become a pressing issue, with only 5% of U.S. plastics being recycled, according to the Department of Energy.
The rest often ends up in landfills or waterways, breaking down into microplastics that have been found in human organs and linked to health issues such as cancer and infertility.
Plastic waste poses a significant threat to Florida’s coastlines, which see plastics from around the globe washing ashore.
Microplastics account for 3.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and researchers estimate oceanic plastic waste could reach 600 million tons within six years.
The resolution has garnered widespread public support, with over 17,000 residents emailing the commission in favor of the ban.
A 2021 Florida Department of Environmental Protection survey found that 93% of Floridians support regulating single-use plastics, and 82% would back such measures even if it meant paying a small fee.
Despite strong local advocacy, Florida’s 2008 preemption law restricts municipalities from regulating plastics, posing a significant obstacle to such initiatives.
Several cities, including Coral Gables and Surfside, have faced legal challenges from the Florida Retail Federation (FRF), which represents large retailers like Publix and Walmart.
The FRF has criticized the Miami-Dade resolution, warning of potential financial impacts on small businesses and calling for a focus on improving plastic recycling instead.
However, activists argue that recycling is insufficient, as the plastic industry itself has doubted the feasibility of economically viable recycling since the 1970s.
Many Miami-Dade businesses, including Zoo Miami and Hard Rock Stadium, have already adopted alternatives to plastics.
Zoo Miami, for example, replaced plastic bottles with aluminum containers, cutting 340,000 plastic bottles from its waste stream in just one year.
Activists and experts emphasize that reducing reliance on plastics is critical to addressing climate change.
Plastics, derived from petrochemicals, are expected to account for nearly half of global oil demand growth by 2050, according to the International Energy Agency.
If approved, the Miami-Dade resolution would apply only to future contracts, allowing the county to influence broader industry practices.
“We’re not trying to tell you how to run your household,” Higgins said. “But we are saying, ‘This is how we want to run our household and our business.’”
With Miami-Dade leading the charge as Florida’s largest county, supporters hope this measure will inspire private businesses and other municipalities to follow suit, paving the way for a cleaner, more sustainable future.