Government facility polystyrene ban passed in 2008. An expanded ban for the rest of unincorporated San Mateo County was passed in 2011, effective July 1, 2011.
Details of regulation: In 2008 the San Mateo Board of Supervisors passed Ordinance No. 4421 banning the use of polystyrene products in County Departments and Facilities.
In 2009 they passed Ordinance 04469 expanding the 2008 ban to Bottled water and non-recyclable plastic disposable food service ware.
The board finally passed Ordinance No. 04542 in 2011 they extended the ban polystyrene-based disposable food service ware to all food vendors, countywide
Ord. 4421: No County department will purchase or otherwise acquire non-recyclable plastic disposable food service ware. No food service provider shall use non-recyclable plastic disposable food service ware when providing prepared food on property owned or leased by the County.
Ord. 04469: The employees of the County have access to some of the highest quality drinking water and the production and transport of bottled water have significant financial and environmental costs. This Board does, accordingly, find and declare that it should restrict the County’s use of bottled water and polystyrene foam and solid disposable food service ware products and should require the replacement of non-biodegradable, non-compostable, non-reusable or non-recyclable food service ware with biodegradable, compostable, reusable, or recyclable food service ware products.
Ord. 04542: No food vendor shall use polystyrene-based disposable food service ware when providing prepared food.