A Statewide Styrofoam Ban in California
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The Styrofoam Ban proposal SB 568 (was proposed by Senator Alan Lowenthal, D-Longbeach), which if is enacted upon, will phase out polystyrene foam or “Styrofoam” by 2016 in the state of California. Many cities in California, approximately 50 and growing, have taken the initiative to institute local bans of this material. SB 568 is supported by cities such as Palo Alto, Santa Monica, and San Francisco; organizations such as the Surfrider Foundation, Clean Water Action, the Environmental Defense Fund, Heal the Bay, and the Breast Cancer Fund support this legislation.
SB 568 would prohibit food vendors and restaurants from selling prepared foods to customers in Styrofoam containers, beginning January 1, 2014.
Styrofoam takes over 5,000 years to biodegrade. If you took a walk along the street or a local beach, more than likely there would be Styrofoam rubbish in the gutters, seawater and sewers. Many birds and marine life confuse this material with prey and consume it, which may cause injury and death. This material is the second most common debris washing up on California’s beaches today.
Health
From a health perspective, styrene is a significant issue. Styrene is a major component of Styrofoam and those exposed to it might experience irritation of the skin, eyes and upper respiratory tract as well as face gastrointestinal effects. The effects of exposure to styrene can worsen into depression, headaches, fatigue, and may interfere with kidney function.Styrofoam is not only harmful to human health, but to environmental health as well. Production of Styrofoam causes air pollution, and its by-products result in a substantial amount of solid and liquid waste, which has the potential to make their way into our water system. Another common health risk is when one heats up food in a Styrofoam container. Toxic chemicals may leach out of the container into one’s food and may endanger human health. In fact, the federal government announced this month that styrene is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen so a styrofoam ban is critical.
Unfortunately, the food industry, and many packaging and construction companies use Styrofoam for a variety of uses. The food industry uses Styrofoam for cups, trays, coolers and “To-Go” boxes because of its insulating properties. Packaging companies use Styrofoam to protect the shipment of goods. Construction companies use Styrofoam to insulate buildings from exterior conditions. Sadly, Styrofoam has become a ubiquitous material in our society.
Alternatives
There are many alternatives to Styrofoam, such as polyactic acid, a biodegradable material from sugar cane processing. If SB 568 is enacted, it will be a step in the right direction in terms of supporting the green economy. It will increase demand for the emerging sustainable food container industry, creating jobs and incentivizing the expansion of manufacturing alternative products right here in California.
As a scientist and environmentalist, when SB 568 becomes active again, we can hope that the outcome will be that California will be trailblazers in this regard. Legislators can review the facts at hand and support SB 568 in order to protect California’s natural resources. This is an issue that affects everyone. Please follow SB 568, closely make your voice heard! Support alternatives to Styrofoam while supporting the green economy and your environment!
Take Action
To take action and get styrofoam ban, write your local Assemblymember and urge them to support the bill Clean Water Action’s letter to McDonald’s to tell them to approve the Styrofoam ban, or sign Surfrider Foundation’s letter.
Other sites used in the research of this article:Los Angeles Times
EPA
PVC alternatives database
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