I'd like to find out if any communities have had luck in decreasing or even eliminating the use of Styrofoam. In Kansas City we do not have the ability to recycle Styrofoam, and we're running out of landfill space, and yet a majority of our restaurants and fast food establishments use Styrofoam containers for takeout. With decent alternatives now available, I'd like to try to decrease the amount of Styrofoam going into the waste stream. Thank you! Kate
Kate Corwin
Green Works in Kansas City
United States
Decreasing the use of Styrofoam
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Hi Kate,
The city of Monterey is also currently reviewing a ban on polystyrene containers.
Here's the link. http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/health/EnvironmentalHealth/EHreview/polystyreneOrdinance.htm
We have the same problem, they are simply too costly to recycle and contractors who do recycling will not take them on. Further, they need to be clean prior to recycling - and considering the fact that they are used for take-out food, this just never happens. The cities of Santa Cruz, Pacific Grove and Carmel in California already have an ordinance in place.
For more information on plastic, alternatives etc, please visit http://www.ThinkbeyondPlastics.org, as well as http://www.PlasticPollutionCoalition.org. There is help and support for what you do!
Daniella Russo
United States
Hi Kate,
As part of Thunder Bay's environmental action plan, the City has committed to replacing all Styrofoam and plastic containers/utensils with biodegradable cornstarch and sugarcane products for all their events, meetings, etc. Starting next year, any vendors that set up at City-run events will be required to do the same. I believe these vendors will be able to tap into the bulk purchasing prices through the City, which will make the switch very affordable.
One issue is that these products (the hard cornstarch ones in particular) don't biodegrade very well in a landfill setting, so the next step will be to set up a compost collection at events, and divert these items to the municipal compost site.
This is just one step and doesn't address restaurants, but hopefully as more people are exposed to and educated about these alternatives, they will start asking restaurants to switch over as well.
Hope this helps. Best wishes.
Karen Copeland
Program Co-ordinator
EcoSuperior Environmental Programs
Canada
According to their website, the City of Portland, OR has had a polystyrene foam container ban since 1990.
http://www.portlandonline.com/bps/index.cfm?a=109474&c=41472
Mary Chamberlain
R. W. Beck, Inc.
United States
Hi, Kate:
These links may help you:
http://www.sfgov.org/site/cao_page.asp?id=62865
http://www.santabarbaraca.gov/CAP/MG66007/AS66011/AS66026/AS66032/AI69306/DO70343/DO_70343.PDF
http://www.epspackaging.org/info.html
http://san-clemente.org/sc/standard.aspx?pageid=453
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/06/28/MNG65JLQJ411.DTL
Frank Severson
Integrated Waste Management Specialist
California Integrated Waste Management Board
United States
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/
City of Oakland ordinance bans styrofoam. Warning, there are no real consequences written into the ordinance and we are having difficulty with enforcement without it.
Here's a link to the ordinance:
http://library.municode.com/index.aspx?clientId=16308&stateId=5&stateName=California
Wanda Redic
Recycling Specialist
City of Oakland
United States
www.oaklandrecycles.com