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Foam Container Ban Poised To Pass On Thursday
By
Lauren Evans
Published Dec 18, 2013
Modified Dec 18, 2013
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By
Lauren Evans
Published Dec 18, 2013
Modified Dec 18, 2013
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Foam food containers are one step closer to extinction, thanks to a bill that's poised to pass tomorrow.
The proposal to ban polystyrene (not Styrofoam—that's a brand name that refers specifically to packing foam) has been met with powerful resistance from entities like the American Chemistry Council and Dart Container, which has an obvious interest in continued production. According to Crain's, Dart dropped its opposition to the ban on Monday, on the basis of an amendment that mandates a one-year recycling test, during which it must prove that recycling plastic foam is "feasible and economical."
“While it is clear that this legislation singles out and unfairly maligns a quality, cost-effective, and safe line of products, we are suspending further opposition as we believe it is in the best interests of all parties that we turn our attention to successfully passing the recycling test,” said Dart Container’s director of recycling Michael Westerfield in a statement.
The amendment delays the ban until January 1, 2015, in order to give the new administration a full year to pilot a recycling program. The earliest it would actually go into effect is July 1, 2015.
Polystyrene, however, is notoriously difficult to recycle, since it tends to break into balls, which interferes with recycling other less pesky products. Most importantly, there just isn't much of a market for recycled polystyrene.
Tagged
polystyrene
recycling
sanitation department
styrofoam ban
Lauren Evans
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