Plastic Reduction Initial Community Survey

The City of Asheville is considering a local ordinance to prohibit single-use plastic bags and styrofoam™ containers. A survey to receive feedback from Asheville residents and business owners was open through April 30. Initial survey analysis identified low response rate from key community members including: Asheville businesses who use plastic bags and/or styrofoam™ containers, low and moderate income residents, residents of color and renters.

If you represent one or more of these missing voices, please take a moment to fill out this survey and give your input. The survey will remain open as outreach continues to solicit input from audiences that could be most affected by a new ordinance.

Thank you for your feedback.

The survey is available also available in Spanish, Ukrainian and Russian.

Do you consider plastic litter to be a problem?

Yes

93%

Closed to responses | 6,781 Responses

After garbage collection in your community, how often do you see additional plastic or expanded polystyrene [StyrofoamTM] litter on the street or sidewalk?

Sometimes

34%

Often

31%

Rarely

16%

Always

14%

Never

Closed to responses | 6,754 Responses

Where do you see plastic litter in your neighborhood? Select all that apply.

In trees

In storm drains

In rivers, creeks and waterways

Roadways, beside the road

I don't see plastic litter

Closed to responses

In order from most common to least common, how often do you see these products as litter?

Click and drag each option into the box above so that the item most commonly seen as litter is at the top of the list and the item least commonly seen is at the bottom of the list. After you have ordered your list, please click the green 'Confirm Priorities' button.

Closed to responses | 4,649 Responses

Single-Use Plastic Reduction

City Council is considering whether to pass an ordinance (local law) to reduce litter in our community by restricting plastic bags and/or Expanded Polystyrene [Styrofoam™] containers, items that are typically used once and then thrown away ("single-use"). Examples of products under consideration are plastic bags provided by stores at check-out and disposable foodware containers (Styrofoam™ cups or boxes) provided by restaurants or hot bars for carry-out orders.

If the city were to further restrict single-use plastic, what additional products would you like to see included?

Click and drag each option to move the items, in your priority order, into the top/next priority box. When complete, click the green "Confirm Priorities" box.

Closed to responses | 4,458 Responses

Which of the following would support compliance with a single-use plastic reduction ordinance?

Free or discounted reusable containers and bags

Points system (think stars or punch cards at your favorite coffee shop, you bring your own mug 5 times and the 6th coffee is free))

Fee charged for bags distributed

Trade in program (Opportunity to swap any non-compliant materials with compliant materials)

No incentives are needed

Closed to responses

If the city restricted single-use plastic, how much time should there be between adoption of an ordinance by City Council and implementation?

6 months

70%

1 year

21%

More than 2 years

2 years

Closed to responses | 6,196 Responses

I wish to complete the remainder of the survey from the perspective of:

A city resident

88%

A business owner (or representative of a business) AND and a city resident

A business owner/operator or representative of a business

Closed to responses | 6,097 Responses

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Plastic Reduction Initial Community Survey

Plastic Reduction Initial Community Survey

Question title

Do you consider plastic litter to be a problem?

Question title

After garbage collection in your community, how often do you see additional plastic or expanded polystyrene [StyrofoamTM] litter on the street or sidewalk?

Question title

Where do you see plastic litter in your neighborhood? Select all that apply.

Question title

Single-Use Plastic Reduction

Question title

If the city were to further restrict single-use plastic, what additional products would you like to see included? Click and drag each option to move the items, in your priority order, into the top/next priority box. When complete, click the green "Confirm Priorities" box.

Question title

Which of the following would support compliance with a single-use plastic reduction ordinance?

Question title

If the city restricted single-use plastic, how much time should there be between adoption of an ordinance by City Council and implementation?

Question title

I wish to complete the remainder of the survey from the perspective of:

If the city were to further restrict single-use plastic, what additional products would you like to see included?

Click and drag each option to move the items, in your priority order, into the top/next priority box. When complete, click the green "Confirm Priorities" box.