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Samiullah Memon, owner of Oakmont Sandwiches and Coffee said the lining of the paper cups for cold drinks are still made with a plastic lining. Photo by Maryanne Casas-Perez.<\/p>\nCupertino businesses and shoppers are adjusting to a future without plastic checkout bags but many said the alternatives\u00a0 don\u2019t always work as well.<\/p>\n
Samiullah Memon, owner of Oakmont Sandwiches and Coffee, said adapting to Cupertino\u2019s evolving rules has been both costly and confusing, particularly as guidance around acceptable materials has changed over time.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt first we tried switching to biodegradable plastic, but the city told us no plastic at all \u2014 even if it\u2019s biodegradable,\u201d Memon told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight.<\/p>\n
He said businesses were initially given about two years to adjust, but now there is a risk of getting a fine if any plastic is used. Memon said environmentally friendly alternatives often cost more and don\u2019t always meet customer expectations, noting some customers bring their own bags and are not protecting meats from produce which could case bacterial problems if the bags aren\u2019t washed.<\/p>\n
Samiullah Memon, owner of Oakmont Sandwiches and Coffee said the lining of the paper cups for cold drinks are still made with a plastic lining. Photo by Maryanne Casas-Perez.<\/p>\n
At Oakmont Produce Market, cashier Federico Diaz said customers often push back on the thin green plastic produce bags used to store vegetables and fruit. These compostable alternatives have replaced the traditional clear plastic bags for produce. The thin green produce bags are made from plant-based plastics designed to break down in industrial composting facilities.<\/p>\n
\u201c(Customers) say when they take vegetables home the bags don\u2019t hold up the same in the fridge and can damage the leaves,\u201d Diaz told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight.<\/p>\n
Those frustrations are showing up across local businesses as the city moves to eliminate plastic entirely, with the threat of penalizing businesses that don\u2019t comply under new state laws.<\/p>\n
These concerns come as Cupertino updates its carryout bag policy to align with state Senate Bill 1053 that became law in January<\/a>. It bans all plastic checkout bags. City officials say the change is meant to address a loophole in earlier regulations that allowed thicker plastic bags to be labeled as reusable.<\/p>\n \u201cThe unintended consequence was an overall increase in the amount of disposable plastic entering the waste stream,\u201d\u00a0 Environmental Programs and Sustainability Manager Ursula Syrova said at April 21 City Council meeting.<\/p>\n Under the updated rules, retailers will only be allowed to offer recycled paper bags at checkout for a minimum of 10 cents, while pre-checkout bags such as those used for produce must be compostable or made from recycled paper.<\/p>\n Cupertino City Council voted 4-1 \u2014 with Councilmember R \u201cRay\u201d Wang the sole no vote\u00a0 \u2014 to amend it\u2019s carryout bag policy to conform with state law and broaden it to include retail stores and restaurants offering takeout.<\/p>\n During the discussion, Councilmember R \u201cRay\u201d Wang raised concerns about potential impacts on businesses, including higher costs and the possibility that customers would shop in neighboring cities if they wanted plastic products.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve created unnecessary burdens on a lot of our residents at the same time,\u201d Wang said in the meeting. \u201cSo, I would just appeal to actually think about our retail businesses and our residents, and let them make their own choices, as opposed to implying and imploring a dictatorship approach to what we want (as) environmental policy.\u201d<\/p>\n The other councilmembers disagreed and supported the stricter approach, emphasizing the need to reduce plastic waste and shift consumer habits over time.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a lot of land in the United States, but we don\u2019t have unlimited landfill, so if we can do something, it\u2019s a little inconvenient, but once you get used to it, it\u2019s not inconvenient,\u201d Vice Mayor Liang Chao said at the meeting. \u201cIt\u2019s a lifestyle. So I think we need to take that first step. I still see a lot of takeout containers that\u2019s plastic in here.\u201d<\/p>\n For some businesses, the switch isn\u2019t about higher costs, but how their products are displayed to customers. At Horizon Bakery, owner Debbie Hou said plastic packaging plays a key role in how products are presented.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to show how the products look \u2014 we can\u2019t do that with paper,\u201d Hou told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight.<\/p>\n
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