San Francisco has banned a product known as ‘expanded polystyrene’, which most people think of as Styrofoam. The product is typically found in egg cartons, kiddie floats, coffee cups, and as a liner for beverage coolers.
Environmentalists are praising the ban, which is the most comprehensive measure enacted by a major U.S. jurisdiction. They note the plastic decomposes very slowly, and pollutes waterways, which can harm birds and marine life.
The ban on this form of polystyrene is the latest effort by San Francisco to regulate potentially harmful materials, having already outlawed single-use plastic Bags in 2007. The latest measure piggybacks on a 2006 ordinance that mandated restaurants and food vendors to use compostable or recyclable containers for carryout.
A study of the San Francisco Bay was conducted in 2015, and revealed that of the microscopic particles in its waters, 8% were most probably foam, likely from polystyrene, which fragments easily.
Although San Francisco cannot control the Packaging used on materials coming to the city, the ban helps to lead the way in encouraging other municipalities to consider similar measures.
Businesses approve, according to Jim Lazarus of the city’s Chamber of Commerce, who revealed that San Francisco has a goal of reducing its landfill waste to zero by 2020.
Cities like these can benefit by working with flyer printing companies, which can create mailers disseminating information to residents.
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