Del Mar Bans Single-Use Plastics at City Events

Del Mar just showed other coastal cities how to protect their beaches from plastic pollution with a groundbreaking new law.

The small California beach town unanimously passed a strengthened single-use plastic ordinance in December 2024, becoming only the second city in San Diego County to ban single-use plastic bottles at city events and require truly compostable foodware. Del Mar has been a quiet environmental leader for years, banning plastic bags in 2016 and polystyrene foam in 2018.

The new ordinance goes much further. Food providers can no longer serve prepared meals in non-compostable containers, and all city facilities, events, and permitted gatherings must use materials accepted in local curbside compost bins.

That last detail matters more than it sounds. Many products labeled "compostable" or "recyclable" can't actually be processed by local waste systems and end up in landfills anyway. Del Mar's law closes that loophole by requiring materials that local waste haulers actually accept.

The city also banned the sale of polystyrene coolers, which break apart into tiny pieces that wash into the ocean and harm marine life.

The push came from Surfrider Foundation activists Janis Jones and Mitch Silverstein, who presented research on plastic pollution to Del Mar's Sustainability Advisory Committee in August. Committee members were particularly inspired by neighboring Coronado's ordinance, which Del Mar used as a model.

Sustainability staff member Kaitlyn Elliot-Norgrove helped draft the strengthened policy, which moved through city council in just four months.

The Ripple Effect

Del Mar's decision could influence dozens of other California beach communities struggling with plastic pollution. The city proved that small towns can adopt policies as strong as much larger cities without waiting for state or federal action.

Other San Diego County cities are already watching closely. When one coastal community takes bold action on ocean pollution, neighboring towns often follow within months.

The ordinance also shows how local environmental groups can create change by presenting successful models from nearby cities. Del Mar didn't invent these policies, they adapted what worked for Coronado and made it even stronger.

Most importantly, the law moves beyond feel-good gestures to actual solutions. By requiring materials that local systems can handle, Del Mar ensures their compostable containers actually get composted instead of contaminating recycling or ending up in the ocean.

Del Mar proves that protecting our beaches doesn't require waiting for someone else to act first.