Happening Now
The City of Asheville has completed the Less Plastic Asheville Challenge, which encouraged residents to reduce their consumption of single-use plastics. The campaign had two key features, a social media challenge called Less Plastic Bingo, and a Pass on Plastic Pledge. The City provided information about the impacts that single-use plastics have on our community and shared tips and resources at tabling events around town and on our social media platforms. Social media challenge participants posted photos and videos of themselves taking action to reduce single-use plastic consumption. Those who took the pledge committed to sustainable lifestyle choices, such as using reusable grocery bags and refusing single-use plastics. Residents who participated in either the Less Plastic Bingo Challenge or the Pass on Plastic Pledge were eligible to win great prizes!
The Less Plastic Asheville challenge began on February 1, 2024, and ended on May 31, 2024, reaching 1,750 people in face-to-face conversations. Check out this blog post for more results from the challenge and watch the July 17 Sustainability Advisory Committee meeting for a final presentation about Less Plastic Asheville. For more information about the Single-Use Plastic Reduction campaign take a look at the March 26 presentation to the Environment and Safety Committee for a final review of the campaign, including next steps for plastic reduction in the City. If you are interested in learning more about waste management at the City or the work that City partner Asheville Greenworks is doing to reduce waste, watch the May 15 presentations to the Sustainability Advisory Committee via the above links.
Background
In October 2022, Asheville City Council directed the Sustainability Department to take a phased approach to reduce single-use plastic consumption.
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 August 1, 2023. For more information about this change and resources available check out this sanitation webpage.
The second phase included further analysis and stakeholder engagement with area businesses, residents, and city staff to inform recommendations for additional single-use plastic reduction strategies for plastic bags at point of sale and expanded polystyrene (StyrofoamTM) disposable foodware products. To see the results of this engagement read this blog post.
On September 22, 2023, the North Carolina General Assembly approved the state budget, 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. Instead, the City provides information and resources to residents and businesses to reduce single-use plastic consumption voluntarily, including through the Less Plastic Asheville Challenge. For more information on the previous plastic-reduction projects go to this webpage.
Less Plastic Asheville Challenge
There were two ways to participate in the Less Plastic Asheville Challenge, taking the “Pass on Plastic Pledge” and/or playing “Less Plastic Asheville Bingo”. The pledge asked for a commitment to changes to reduce one’s personal plastic footprint, and the Bingo Challenge asked participants to spread the word and help educate and inspire others about the issue through social media.
Although the challenge has closed, there is still a need and opportunity to reduce single use plastics in our community, and the suggestions from the challenge are still relevant. For ideas and inspiration check out the bingo card to see easy and fun ways to make a change in plastic use.
Resources and Additional Information
- Estimate your own individual plastic consumption with this calculator.
- Follow the City of Asheville on social media for informational posts and plastic reducing life hacks.
- Learn about the City’s Litter Reduction Programs
- Where to get paper bags for brush collection
- City of Asheville sanitation webpage
- What is Recyclable
To follow updates on plastic reduction, please subscribe on Public Input. Questions about the initiative? Please check out our Plastics FAQ document!
Contact Information
Kiera Bulan, Sustainability Manager
(828) 620-0664
