Plastics Ordinance Passed in Lauderhill!

The City of Lauderhill, Florida in Broward County Mayor Thurston and Commission at the City of Lauderhill passed unanimously 5-0 on January 10, 2022 an ordinance to prohibit the use of single use, non-biodegradable plastic food service products by city vendors.  This ordinance will further ban any intentional ballloon releases to protect the ecology and wildlife of Florida.  Call and write to thank them for protecting Florida's beautiful coast and protecting its people and wildlife.

The Surfrider Foundation Broward Chapter, as well as Florida's 10 other chapters and clubs of volunteers regularly collect and record debris on our beautiful Florida beaches. Our organization and Chapter submitted testimony and comments to support the effort of removing these pollutants.

One of our coastline's greatest threats is something used daily for only a second and then discarded; single use plastic and polystyrene foam.  These items not only foul our beaches and food through leaching, increase ghg, but also disproportionately impact our economically challenged and urban neighborhoods. Polystyrene is made in petrochemical plants that are disproportionately situated in marginalized communities thus making it an Environmental Justice issue as well. They are also not recyclable, photodegrade and break into microplastics, which are then mistaken for nesting and food by wildlife.  This then makes it's way up the foodchain and into us!

Foam EPS products are lightweight and blown often through fences into our drains and streams, clogging storm drains and causing more havoc. 

Released balloons can be deadly to marine wildlife who often mistake littered balloons for food.  Furthermore, the plastic strings attached to the balloons often entangle wildlife.   

The City of Lauderhill is ready to Rise Above Plastics!