|
|
|
|
|
Styrofoam Ban
|
Polystyrene foam (Styrofoam) is a petroleum-based byproduct that is frequently used for food packaging purposes. This material is currently non-recyclable (in California) and non-biodegradable (unable to decay into constituent substances). The following discussion is an excerpt from a staff report to City Council on April 20, 2004.
Biodegradability
Polystyrene products are designed to be disposable and, therefore, have a useful life of only minutes or hours. Yet, it takes several decades to hundreds of years for polystyrene to deteriorate in the environment or landfill. Instead, it merely breaks down into smaller pieces that litter the City’s streets, parks, open spaces, beaches and ocean.
Litter
Polystyrene further contributes to urban blight as litter, especially due to its lightweight nature as it floats on water and/or is easily blown by the wind from place to place even when disposed of properly. The polystyrene litter problem is becoming increasingly difficult to manage and has costly negative implications for tourism, wildlife, aesthetics and even regulatory compliance.
Recycling
There is currently no meaningful recycling of food service polystyrene products, due in part to contamination from food residue. Alternative products, which are biodegradable, reusable and/or recyclable, are readily available at reasonable cost.
Water Quality
Polystyrene waste, introduced to waterbodies from both direct as well as indirect sources, negatively impacts the overall quality of ocean waters and adjacent beach areas. Polystyrene waste, a major component in the overall make up of beach and marine debris, is a visible form of pollution. Moreover, marine and land wildlife often perish as a result of ingesting polystyrene products mistaken as food. Also, because of the physical nature of polystyrene (i.e., floatability, breakability, large surface area), scientists are beginning to speculate about the role of polystyrene waste in contributing to other persistent non-visible water pollution problems, such as bacterial indicators. Deterioration in the quality of the City’s ocean waters and beaches threatens the public health, safety and welfare and negatively affects tourism and the local economy which depends on tourist trade.
Regulatory
In response to the growing attention to beach and marine debris, the 1999-2000 Orange County Grand Jury initiated a comprehensive investigation into causes and necessary responses on a countywide basis. The Grand Jury’s findings, entitled “The Rainy Season’s First Flush Hits the Harbors of Orange County”, strongly recommended that the County of Orange and the Orange County cities institute procedures to substantially reduce the use and sale of disposable plastics and polystyrene foam within jurisdictions.
The City is also actively seeking opportunities to reduce, reuse and recycle in an effort to comply with Assembly Bill (AB) 939 requirements relating to the amount of landfilled waste. The City of San Clemente is mandated to meet AB 939, also known commonly as the California Waste Management Act of 1989, which required that all cities and counties in the State divert fifty percent (50%) of discarded materials from entering landfills by December 31, 2000. By reducing dependence on polystyrene products within City facilities and by choosing products that may be reused or recycled, the City may make positive strides in complying with this regulation.
In addition, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Board) and the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Board) have included the coastline of South Orange County on the 303(d) watchlist for trash. Should the coastline eventually be added to the 303(d) list of impaired waterbodies, the Regional Board will be mandated to issue a total maximum daily load (TMDL) limiting the amount of trash at beaches and in coastal waters. Compliance with TMDL requirements could be at a great expense to the City.
Environmental Obligation
The City of San Clemente has a duty to protect the natural environment for present and future generations. The City may further exercise environmental stewardship by reducing the amount of polystyrene that enters our waste stream and by reducing the amount of polystyrene debris that enters the City’s storm drains, watershed and coastal environment. By reducing the amount of polystyrene waste entering the natural environment, the City also serves to protect the fragile ecological balance of our natural environment. For these reasons, the City passed a ban on the use of single-use polystyrene foam products in City facilities and at City-sponsored, -cosponsored, and permitted events.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|