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Home My WebLink AboutR-26-0131City of Miami Resolution R-26-0131 Legislation City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 www.miamigov.com File Number: 18993 Final Action Date: 3/12/2026 A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE TO CREATE AND IMPLEMENT AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCUREMENT POLICY TO ELIMINATE THE USE AND DISTRIBUTION OF SINGLE -USE PLASTICS, INCLUDING POLYSTYRENE, TO CONSUMERS IN ALL FUTURE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY") CONTRACTS WITH CONCESSIONAIRES DOING BUSINESS ON CITY PROPERTY AND TO ELIMINATE THE DISTRIBUTION AND USE OF SINGLE -USE PLASTICS, INCLUDING POLYSTYRENE, AT CITY -RUN CONCESSIONS, EACH TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE; FURTHER DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE TO SUBMIT A WRITTEN REPORT TO THE CITY COMMISSION WITHIN ONE (1) YEAR; FURTHER DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE TO PROVIDE OUTREACH ENCOURAGING VOLUNTARY PLASTIC -FREE LIFESTYLE HABITS FOR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES WITHIN THE CITY; FURTHER DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE TO USE BEST EFFORTS TO NEGOTIATE PROVISIONS IN SPECIAL EVENT PERMITS FOR THE VOLUNTARY ELIMINATION OF SINGLE -USE PLASTICS AT SPECIAL EVENTS HELD ON CITY -OWNED PROPERTY; PROVIDING FOR THE INCORPORATION OF RECITALS AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE. SPONSOR(S): Mayor Eileen T. Higgins, Commissioner Damian Pardo WHEREAS, in Fiscal Year ("FY") 2024-2025, the City of Miami ("City") cleaned and maintained approximately 15,000 inlets and manholes, 735,509 linear feet of stormwater pipelines, and 28 miles of canal banks, removing 327,120 pounds of debris from the canals, 200,896 pounds of debris from the Miami waterways, and 345 tons of debris from the stormwater system, much of which contained plastic materials; and WHEREAS, The Ocean Conservancy, in collaboration with the City, released the "Miami Circularity Assessment Protocol" in December 2021, which found that plastic fragments, food wrappers, and tobacco products are the top items contributing to urban litter in Miami; and WHEREAS, single -use plastics contribute to overburdened landfills, threaten wildlife and marine life, and degrade and litter drainage and sewage systems, as well as the beaches and waters off the Florida coast; and WHEREAS, single -use plastics are most commonly found in the form of wrappers, straws, food and beverage containers, utensils, water bottles, coffee lids and stirrers, and bags; and WHEREAS, single -use plastics are neither readily recyclable nor biodegradable, and can take hundreds to thousands of years to naturally degrade in the environment; and City of Miami Page 1 of 4 File ID: 18993 (Revision:) Printed On: 4/6/2026 File ID: 18993 Enactment Number: R-26-0131 WHEREAS, according to the 5 Gyres Institute, a leading global research group focused on ocean plastic, as of 2023, there are more than 170 trillion pieces of plastic afloat in the world's oceans, weighing approximately 2 million metric tons; and WHEREAS, a recent study discovered microplastics traveling in the bloodstream of some organ donors and embedded in the lung tissue of a dozen patients awaiting surgery; and WHEREAS, this raises concerns about potential impacts to the immune, respiratory, and endocrine systems, and underscoring the public health importance of reducing plastic pollution at its source; and WHEREAS, it is in the interest of the public health and safety of all City residents to take action to reduce the use of plastics and polystyrene, therefore reducing litter and pollutants on the lands and in the waters of the City, and reducing the amount of plastics going to landfills; and WHEREAS, counties and municipalities around the state have taken action to protect the environment by creating programs and policies such as this; and WHEREAS, the City adopted Ordinance No. 13681 on May 25, 2017, banning polystyrene in parks, recreational areas, and beaches operated and maintained by the City's Department of Parks and Recreation; and WHEREAS, the City released its Extreme Heat Plan in December 2024, which includes actions to provide additional drinking water fountains for refilling reusable bottles in City parks and to encourage large events held at City properties to provide tap water to attendees, both of which will reduce single -use plastic beverages; and WHEREAS, on June 12, 2008, the City adopted Ordinance No. 13003, which provided the framework to reduce negative impacts to human health and the environment through environmentally preferable purchasing, and eliminating single -use plastics from City contracts operating on City property that would align with environmentally preferable purchasing; and WHEREAS, the City encourages the use of unbleached, non -coated, recycled -content paper food service articles and other fiber -based food service articles, including those that are compostable, as the most environmentally preferable alternatives when the use of reusable food ware is not feasible; and WHEREAS, the City is a Stormwater Utility with a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System ("NPDES") permit that contains requirements for monitoring water quality and reducing pollution into the City's waterways; and WHEREAS, the Biscayne Bay Task Force issued the report "Unified Approach to Recovery for a Healthy and Resilient Biscayne Bay" in 2020, which recommended the implementation of policies to reduce the amount of locally generated plastic marine debris and the development of environmental sustainability and "plastic free" best practices; and WHEREAS, various eco-friendly alternatives to single -use plastics exist, such as biodegradable and compostable materials, reusable containers, and sustainable packaging, and are readily available and increasingly affordable, offering environmentally responsible options for everyday use; and City of Miami Page 2 of 4 File ID: 18993 (Revision:) Printed on: 4/6/2026 File ID: 18993 Enactment Number: R-26-0131 WHEREAS, on December 8, 2021, Miami -Dade County adopted Resolution No. R-1179- 21, to create Plastic Free 305, a voluntary program to encourage businesses to move away from the use of single -use plastics; and WHEREAS, major sports and entertainment venues have demonstrated that eliminating single -use plastics is operationally and economically feasible, including Hard Rock Stadium, which has implemented large-scale plastic reduction initiatives while continuing to host world - class events; and WHEREAS, leading cruise operators, including Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., are moving toward significantly reducing or eliminating single -use plastics across their fleets, reflecting industry recognition of the operational and reputational benefits of sustainable practices; and WHEREAS, some City vendors and entities that hold events on City property, such as Ultra Music Festival, have already taken steps to reduce or eliminate single -use plastics in their operations, with the event operating 91 % plastic free in 2025, avoiding the distribution of 2.6 million plastic items including cups, plastic bottles, and plastic straws, and achieving a 100% recycling acceptance rate; and WHEREAS, the growing adoption of plastic -free policies among businesses demonstrates that reducing single -use plastics is financially sustainable, protects Biscayne Bay and the City's waterways, and enhances Miami's economic competitiveness by preserving the clean beaches, marine ecosystems, and vibrant public spaces that drive tourism and support local jobs; and WHEREAS, City business owners and residents have a history of being committed to environmental resilience due to the location of the City and the harm that the City's natural resources, such as Biscayne Bay, the Miami River, and the Little River, have suffered as a result of pollution; and WHEREAS, on November 20, 2024, the Miami -Dade County Board of County Commissioners passed Resolution No. R-1030-24 directing the Mayor to include a provision eliminating the distribution of single -use plastics and polystyrene to consumers in all future County contracts with concessionaires doing business on County property and to eliminate the distribution of single -use plastics and polystyrene at County -run concessions; and WHEREAS, consistent with the County's and City's goals, the City aims to decrease the use of single -use plastics by implementing an administrative procurement policy that will significantly reduce or eliminate the distribution of single -use plastics on City property by adding contractual provisions in future City contracts with concessionaries on City property and precluding their sale and distribution at concessions, food establishments, and special events; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA: Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Resolution are adopted by reference and incorporated as if fully set forth in this Section. Section 2. The City Commission hereby directs the City Manager or designee to create and implement an administrative procurement policy (the "Policy") to eliminate the distribution of City of Miami Page 3 of 4 File ID: 18993 (Revision:) Printed on: 4/6/2026 File ID: 18993 Enactment Number: R-26-0131 single -use plastics, including polystyrene products, by the City's vendors on City property to the greatest extent possible, including the following: (a) New Concession Contracts. All new contracts executed after the effective date of this Resolution with vendors providing concession services on City property shall include a provision prohibiting the distribution of single -use plastics, including polystyrene, to consumers, including, but not limited to, wrappers, straws, food containers, beverage containers, utensils, bottles, lids, stirrers, and bags, except for prepackaged food items such as ready -to -eat meals and snack packs. (b) City -Operated Concessions. Within one (1) year of the effective date of this Resolution, City -operated concession facilities shall eliminate the use and distribution of single -use plastics, including polystyrene, to consumers, including, but not limited to, wrappers, straws, food containers, beverage containers, utensils, bottles, lids, stirrers, and bags, except for prepackaged food items such as ready -to -eat meals and snack packs. (c) Solicitations. All applicable solicitations issued after the effective date of this Resolution shall incorporate by reference the requirements of the Policy. (d) Contract Renewals. Upon renewal, extension, or amendment of existing concession contracts, the City Manager or designee shall seek to negotiate the voluntary elimination of polystyrene and other single -use plastics in the vendor's operations on City property. (e) Documentation of Exceptions. The Policy shall establish and identify appropriate exceptions and require the maintenance of written documentation for any applicable contract in which a prohibition on polystyrene and other single -use plastics was not incorporated, including a statement of the specific reasons such provision could not be negotiated or implemented. Section 3. The City Manager or designee is further directed to submit a written report to the City Commission identifying the impacts to businesses, progress of implementation, and any hurdles encountered as a result of the Policy within one (1) year. Section 4. The City Manager or designee is further directed to provide outreach for encouraging voluntary plastic free lifestyle habits for residents and businesses within the City. Section 5. The City Manager or designee is further directed to use best efforts to negotiate provisions in Special Event Permits for the voluntary elimination of single -use plastics at Special Events held on City -owned property. Section 6. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption. APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS: rge = . Wyfy ng IIQ, C y ttor -y 3/3/2026 City of Miami Page 4 of 4 File ID: 18993 (Revision:) Printed on: 4/6/2026