City Of Santa Cruz: 280 Clean Ocean Businesses Honored During Pollution Prevention Week

Santa Cruz CA

20 September, 2021

5:36 PM

Description

Press release from the City of Santa Cruz: September 14, 2021 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts: Elizabeth Smith, Communications Manager, (831) 420-5016 Akin Babatola, Environmental Compliance and Wastewater Lab Manager, (831) 420-6045 SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — In celebration of Pollution Prevention Week, Sept. 19-25, the City of Santa Cruz recognizes 280 Clean Ocean Business awardees. The efforts of these local businesses have protected the San Lorenzo River, the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and local creeks through practices that keep pollutants away from both storm drains and the sewer system. "We congratulate 222 restaurants and 58 automotive shops as Clean Ocean Businesses this year," said City of Santa Cruz Environmental Compliance and Wastewater Lab Manager Akin Babatola. "We are grateful that they were able to stay the pollution prevention course, despite the economic challenges of Covid-19." Management at Golden City, an awardee for 10 years, said they pivoted their focus to internet orders and meal delivery systems when a conventional eat-in business model was no longer possible during shelter-in-place. Management at Ferrell's Donuts, a six-year awardee, reduced their hours to focus service on the busiest times of the day to help the business through the pandemic. The City's Environmental Compliance program annually honors local food service as well as vehicle service facilities that have been consistent recipients of Clean Ocean Business awards for at least five years. This year's awardees include 32 restaurants and one vehicle service facility that have been recipients for over 10 years and three that have been recipients for over five years. The complete list of Clean Ocean Businesses is available at www.cityofsantacruz.com/cleanoceanbusiness. The City's Environmental Compliance program is also helping to protect Santa Cruz waterways through its 13-year old Pharmaceuticals and Sharps Disposal Program. Many medication and needle disposal options are available to residents of the City of Santa Cruz and Santa Cruz County. For more information about this collaborative program visit www.cityofsantacruz.com/medssharpsdisposal. Additionally, the Environmental Compliance program has placed pharmaceutical and sharps collection boxes with its partners at Santa Cruz CVS stores, UC Santa Cruz Student Health Center, Santa Cruz Police Department, UC Santa Cruz Police Department, and Walgreens. This press release was produced by the City of Santa Cruz. The views expressed here are the author's own.