Plastic Free NBVNorth Bay Village is a unique coastal community that sits in the ecologically diverse Biscayne Bay. As a city that is rich in natural resources, we understand the importance of keeping our streets, waterways, and ecological habitats healthy. The reduction of single-use plastic will help protect these natural elements by:
Learn more about the impacts of plastic pollution.
Three ordinances were adopted to support the City’s waste reduction and recycling goals, promote environmental health, protect wildlife, and conserve resources. In conjunction with these ordinances, the city is launching the #PlasticFreeNBV campaign along with a certification program for businesses to pledge to reduce and/or remove certain types of plastics from their establishments.
Drink in style – always have a reusable bottle or cup handy
Eat in Style – ordering in? getting delivery? Say no to plastic cutlery. We’re sure that what you have at home works better anyways
Go strawless – decline any straws or stirrers that may come with your beverage or if you really need one, get yourself a reusable straw
Go topless – do you really need the plastic top to that coffee or smoothie cup? Unless you’re going for a joy ride, you don’t really need it
Spread the word – tell your family, friends, and neighbors about the importance of reducing single-use plastic
Share the program – with your favorite stores and restaurant and tell them to pledge to become a #plasticfreenbv business
We encourage you to first share information on the #plasticfreenbv program with businesses. If you notice the use of plastic straw/stirrer and plastic bag in the locations above, you can contact the Code Enforcement at 305-756-7171 x 65 or sending a message to actionteam@nbv.com. Other businesses can voluntarily substitute plastic straws/stirrers and plastic bags with other materials.
We highly recommend choosing reusable materials or items that are derived from natural products such as bamboo, sugarcane, and other highly biodegradable products. It’s also important to note waste management services are provided by a small group of contracted waste/recycling companies. These companies only accept certain types of plastic to recycle. The recycling symbol and the number on a container do not necessarily indicate whether a product is recyclable. We recommend recycling by shape. Consider items such bottles, jars and jugs which are the most highly accepted materials at a recycling facility.
Some biodegradable plastics include:
Although these plastics claim to be biodegradable, they take a significant amount to time to biodegrade and have the same environmental impact as regular plastics. Plastics that claim to be compostable often require a large scale composting facility and a specific environment to completely biodegrade.
The links below are a great starting point for businesses to locate sustainable alternative materials. The city recommends looking at reusable materials mainly for kitchen materials, such as utensils, plates, cups, etc. The upfront investment to purchase the reusable materials will definitely pay off in a short run and you will produce less litter.
Debris Free Oceans has created a purchasing list of places where you could find alternatives/more sustainable materials.
