Miami is gearing up for a break with its long love affair with plastic cups and takeout containers. The city's mayor has introduced a proposal to phase out single-use plastics from city contracts, concession stands and special events held on city-owned property. The measure, sponsored by Mayor Eileen T. Higgins, is set for the City Commission's March 12 agenda and would have staff write new procurement rules aimed at eliminating disposable serviceware such as polystyrene where feasible.
What the proposal would do
Resolution No. 18993 would direct the city manager "to create and implement an administrative procurement policy to eliminate the use and distribution of single-use plastics, including polystyrene," in future City contracts with concessionaires and at city-run concessions, and it asks for a written report back to commissioners within one year, according to OrdinanceWatch. The draft language also asks staff to use "best efforts" to negotiate plastic-free provisions into special-event permits, an approach that targets new contracts and renewals rather than immediately rewriting existing deals. The resolution is sponsored by Mayor Higgins, per the agenda.
Where it fits locally
Local reporting first highlighted the proposal as part of the mayor’s wider push to cut pollution and protect public health, Miami Today reported. Supporters argue that phasing out throwaway plastics at public events could trim litter in canals and Biscayne Bay and help lower municipal cleanup costs, which tend to spike after big festivals and races.
County precedent and legal limits
Miami-Dade County moved in a similar direction in late 2024, instructing the county mayor to include plastic-free provisions in future concession contracts and launching the voluntary "Plastic Free 305" program, according to Miami-Dade County. That same record notes that Florida's statutory preemption of certain container rules, written into state law and currently the subject of bills in Tallahassee, can limit what local governments are allowed to impose. That context helps explain why the city's draft language leans on implementation "to the greatest extent possible." For the state-level proposals, see the current bill text on LegiScan.
How events and venues are already adapting
Organizers and major venues say the transition is workable, even in a city that throws giant waterfront parties for a living. Ultra Music Festival reports it has replaced most plastic cups and straws with paper or compostable alternatives, expanded water-refill stations, and diverted large volumes of waste from landfills. The Life Time Miami Marathon likewise highlights refill stations and other steps to cut bottled-water use, suggesting that event operators can adapt through logistics tweaks and vendor requirements. For organizers' details, see Ultra Music Festival and Miami Marathon.
Next steps
The item is on the commission's calendar for Thursday; if approved, staff would have up to a year to return with an implementation plan and to begin negotiating contract language with vendors, according to the city's meeting listing and the resolution's instructions. County committee notes indicate that industry groups have previously raised concerns about costs and supply-chain availability, so any shift is likely to roll out through new contracts, renewals and voluntary event permits rather than an overnight ban. See MotionCount and county records for more.
