York Eco Club’s Plastic Reduction Task Force started up in 2021 with the goal of minimizing plastic waste in York’s coastal communities. The small group consists of juniors, Maxine Adelson, Chloe Whitbread, Lucy Patterson, and Aidan Ring. They began working to reduce plastic waste in the school with efforts to encourage reusable foodware in York High School’s cafeteria. 

The Task Force expanded their efforts in the Spring of 2023 preparing to introduce a town wide ordinance that would regulate the sale and distribution of single use plastics. After speaking with York restaurant owners and other town officials,the Task Force brought their ordinance to the selectboard. Many town members came to the hearing in support of the ordinance as well as restaurant owners who voiced their concerns about the impact of the ordinance on their business. In a two to three vote the selectboard voted to continue the development of the ordinance in the form of a town committee. 

The committee now consists of highschooler’s Chloe Whitbread, Maxine Adelson, and Aidan Ring, the owner of the Sun and Surf-Caitlynn Ramsay, owner of York 54-Jason Miller, and town local Michelle Marean. The committee hosts public meetings in the York High School library every Thursday and will sunset by the end of February as of last Thursday the 7th. 

The committee discusses possible changes to the ordinance as well as its impact on business owners. Further information on the committee is available under the Single Use Plastic Dining Ware Ordinance Committee on the Boards and Commissions section on the town website.