It is the City of Asheville’s mission to support a thriving local economy and a clean, healthy environment. Community cleanliness was identified by City Council as an area of concern and in October 2022, Asheville City Council directed the Sustainability Department to take a phased approach to reduce the consumption of single-use plastic.
The first phase included an update to Chapter 15 of the City Code to prohibit the use of plastic bags in curbside brush and leaf collection. This ordinance change was approved by City Council on January 10 and was implemented on August 1, 2023. Paper bags were available to residents, free of charge from the fall of 2023 through spring of 2024 to support the transition.
The second phase included a multi-step community engagement effort to gather input from City staff, Asheville residents, and businesses to inform recommendations for next steps on single-use plastic reduction in our community. The input received guided staff analysis regarding sanitation services related to single-use plastic products, the City’s legal authority to pursue a policy banning single-use plastic products at point of sale, potential costs of a policy for residents and businesses, and possible resources required for an implementation plan. The second phase was conducted December 2022 through October 2023.
The final phase of this project included a voluntary initiative, the Less Plastic Asheville Challenge, that invited Asheville residents to reduce their single-use plastic consumption. The City supported community efforts by providing information, resources, and a little friendly competition. The campaign ran from February 19 through May 31, 2024.
In the middle of the plastic reduction project the North Carolina General Assembly approved the state budget on September 22, 2023, which included a law prohibiting local governments from banning single-use plastic products. Due to this regulation, the City cannot adopt an ordinance banning plastic bags or expanded polystyrene (StyrofoamTM) takeout containers.
This concludes the single-use plastic reduction project. A project summary was presented to the City Council’s Environment and Safety Committee at their March 26 meeting.
For more information on ways to reduce your waste please visit the sanitation division website. To stay informed on the work of the Sustainability Department sign up for the quarterly newsletter.