Roseville to consider requiring eco-friendly takeout containers

The City of Roseville is considering enacting an ordinance that would require food establishments to provide recyclable or compostable single-use containers for to-go food.

The “Green To Go” ordinance would mean take-out food must be packaged in containers that are compostable, recyclable, and returnable or reusable, according to the City of Roseville’s webpage.

Any business that provides to-go food would be required to comply with the packaging requirements, including restaurants, gas stations, food trucks, grocery stores, convenience stores and schools.

The push for the ordinance stems from the city’s desire to reduce single-use plastic, eliminate the use of Styrofoam, increase awareness and usage of recycling and composting programs and promote Ramsey County’s upcoming food scraps pickup program.

The ordinance also aims to decrease the volume of landfill waste and toxic byproducts of incineration in addition to achieving a 75% recycling rate as laid out by Minnesota State Statute by 2030.

The community is encouraged to attend “community conversations” regarding the ordinance on Monday, May 6 from 9-10 a.m. and Monday, June 24 from 2-3 p.m. at the Cederholm Community Center.