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Updated List of Supporters, Add'l Information, In Fact Sheet from State Sen. Lowenthal's Office re SB 568

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(June 1, 2011, 9:55 a.m.) -- LBReport.com publishes below information -- including an updated list of supporters -- obtained from State Senator Alan Lowenthal's office this morning (June 1) on SB 568, the Senator's bill that would forbid food vendors from dispensing prepared food in polystyrene foam ("styrofoam") food containers but with a proviso letting cities, counties or school districts permit such uses if there is a reasonable liklihood that annually at least 60% of the styrofoam containers will be recycled.

The measure faces a full Senate floor vote by a June 3 deadline. Bill text, click here.

The Senator's stated purpose for the measure [his office's fact sheet text] is "to help mitigate the detrimental effects polystyrene is having on our waterways, storm drains and marine life." Text continues below:

[Sen. Lowenthal office text]

SUMMARY

SB 568 would prohibit a food vendor or restaurant on or after January 1, 2014 from dispensing prepared food to a customer in a polystyrene foam food container (a.k.a. Styrofoam). The compliance date for public schools is July 1, 2015.

The bill would also allow a school district that has a verifiable recycling program and recycles more than 60% of its foam foodware to continue to dispense food in foam after the ban goes in effect.

The bill would also allow a jurisdiction (City or County) to continue dispensing food in foam foodware if it adopts an ordinance establishing a recycling program for foam foodware containers and at least 60% of the foam food containers would be recycled.

BACKGROUND

Expanded polystyrene foam (EPS), commonly known as Styrofoam, is pervasive in the marine environment. Like most plastics, polystyrene is lightweight and floats. When littered, it is carried from streets and through storm drains out to the ocean.

60-80 percent of all marine debris and 90 percent of floating debris are plastic. A study of beach debris at 43 sites along the Orange County coast found that EPS was the second most abundant form of beach debris.

In the environment, the containers break down into smaller and smaller pieces and are easily mistaken for food by marine animals.

EPS is not biodegradable.

The value of biodegradable food service packaging is two-fold, in that (1) institutional users can incorporate the packaging into new small-scale food composting collection systems without the labor and expense of separating the container from the food and (2) if the material is improperly disposed of blows out of trash cans, the negative impact on wildlife and storm drain systems is minimized with the material biodegrades.

There is virtually no meaningful food service EPS recycling in California. Because EPS foodware is contaminated from food residue, recycling is very limited. Food service EPS by its nature only has a useful life that can be measured in minutes or hours. Yet it takes centuries for it to decompose in a landfill if at all.

47 jurisdictions in California including Alameda, San Francisco, Oakland, Fremont, Hayward, Marin County, and Santa Cruz County have all successfully banned EPS. All of these jurisdictions’ food vendors provide their take out in alternative packaging including, paper, plastic, compostable materials, aluminum foil etc.

It is important to create a statewide policy and uniformity regarding this nuisance form of litter and marine pollution.

DANGERS OF POLYSTYRENE FOAM

Workers in polystyrene products manufacturing are exposed to many harmful chemicals, including Styrene, Toluene, Xylene, Acetone, Methyl Chloride, and Methyl Ketone. Occupational exposure to styrene increases risk of lymphoma, leukemia, lung tumors, pancreatic cancer, urinary bladder cancer and other cancers. High rates of neurotoxicological effects have been reported in workers.

Public health is also impacted by the use of all polystyrene food containers. Styrene can migrate from polystyrene containers into food and beverages when heated or in contact with fatty or acidic foods. Styrene residues are found in 100% of all samples of human fat tissue. Styrene is a carcinogen in lab animal testing, a potential human carcinogen and a neurotoxin.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Local Ordinances Banning Polystyrene Containers Californians Against Waste, http://www.cawrecycles.org/issues/plastic_campaign/polystyrene/local

Facts and Research about Polystyrene and Styrofoam Litter Clean Water Action California http://www.cleanwater.org/ca

SUPPORT

SPONSOR: Clean Water Action...

CO-SPONSOR: Surfrider Foundation...

American Federation of State,
County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
•	AcroSports
•	AXE Restaurant
•	Be Green Packaging, LLC
•	Berkeley Chamber of Commerce
•	Big Sur Bakery and Restaurant
•	Big Sur Lodge
•	Big Sur River Inn Restaurant
•	Big Sur River Inn Store
•	Big Sur Roadhouse
•	Biosphere Industries
•	Boku International, LLC
•	Bowman Design Group
•	Breast Cancer Fund
•	California Coastkeeper Alliance
•	California Coastal Commission
•	California Resource Recovery Association
•	California School Nutrition Association
•	Californians Against Waste
•	Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority
•	City of Capitola
•	City of Culver City
•	City of Encinitas
•	City of Monterey
•	City of Pasadena
•	City of Richmond
•	City of Santa Cruz Public Works Department
•	City of Santa Monica
•	City of Sebastopol
•	City of Ventura
•	City and County of San Francisco
•	Classic Organic Farm & Market
•	County of Santa Cruz
•	Deetjens Inn Restaurant
•	Defenders of Wildlife
•	Eco Greenwares
•	EcoLayers, Inc.
•	Ecology Action
•	Egg Plantation Restaurant
•	Endangered Habitats League
•	Environment California
•	Environmental Working Group
•	Fernwood Resort and Redwood Grill
•	Fremont Chamber of Commerce
•	Gerlind Institute for Cultural Studies
•	George’s at the Cove (Restaurant)
•	Global Gourmet Catering
•	Greenleaf Project Management
•	Heal the Bay
•	Ike’s Quarter Cafι
•	Inn of the Seventh Ray
•	Institute for Local Self-Reliance
•	Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
•	Los Angeles County Solid Waste Management Committee
/ Integrated Waste Management Task Force
•	Karl Strauss Brewery Restaurants
•	Kennon B. Raines (individual)
•	Malibu Surfing Association
•	Marin Sanitary Service
•	Mediterranean Gourmet Pizza
•	Mineta San Jose International Airport (Airport Environmental)
•	Monterey County
•	Monterey Regional Waste Management District
•	Napa Recycling and Waste Services
•	Natural Resources Defense Council
•	Ocean Beach People’s Organic Market
•	O’Neill Sea Odyssey
•	Orange County Interfaith Coalition for the Environment
•	Passion Fish (Cafι)
•	Planning and Conservation League
•	Power Source Cafe
•	Rawvolution Cafι
•	Revive Drinks
•	Ripplewood Resort
•	Sacramento Unified School District, Superintendent
•	San Diego Coastkeeper
•	Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors
•	Santa Clara Valley Water District
•	Save Our Shores
•	Sea Turtle Restoration Project
•	Seventh Generation Advisors
•	Sierra Club California
•	Sierra Mar at Post Ranch Inn (Restaurant)
•	Stone World Bistro
•	StopWaste.Org
•	Teens Turning Green
•	The Plastic Pollution Coalition
•	The Valley Women’s Club
•	The Watershed Project
•	United States Green Building Council
(California Advocacy Committee)
•	Viv Biz Club
•	Worksafe, Inc
•	World Centric
•	Hundreds of Individual Petition Signers

OPPOSITION

•	American Chemistry Council
•	California Chamber of Commerce
•	California Film Extruders and Converters Association
•	California Grocers Association
•	California Manufacturers & Technology Association
•	California Restaurant Association
•	Dart Container Corporation
•	Food Service Packaging Institute
•	Industrial Environmental Association
•	Oxnard Chamber of Commerce
•	Pactiv Corporation
•	Society of the Plastics Industry
•	The Dardanelle Group
•	Valley Industry and Commerce Association
[LBReport.com note:
LB Area Chamber of Commerce Pres/CEO
signs letter in opposition, May 31]

STATUS
Eligible for a Senate Floor Vote

Watch for continuing coverage of this LB-impacting story on LBReport.com.

Related LBReport.com coverage

  • LB Chamber Pres/CEO Gordon Sends Letter -- With Text Nearly Identical To CA Chamber Letter -- Opposing Sen. Alan Lowenthal's Bill To Ban/Restrict Styrofoam Food Containers
  • Bill To Ban Polystyrene Foam Food Containers (But Allow With Specified Local Recycling Option) Authored By State Senator Alan Lowenthal Moves Toward Senate Floor Vote; LB Council Committee Meets Today On Whether To Recommend Full Council Support


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