San Jose approves foam food container ban

[alp227]

Source: San Jose Mercury News

San Jose will become one of the largest cities in the nation to ban plastic foam food containers when a law the City Council passed Tuesday takes effect next year.

The council voted 9-2 to approve an ordinance that would ban the foam containers starting in January for large multistate restaurant chains and extend to small neighborhood eateries and other businesses a year later.

The plastic foam -- technically expanded polystyrene, or EPS -- is popularly known as Styrofoam. However, Dow Chemical Co., which trademarked that name, says it doesn't manufacture food containers.

San Jose is one of the largest among dozens of cities and counties including 70 in California that have approved bans and restrictions on the foam containers, which environmentalists say become more persistent and pervasive pollutants that harm wildlife than other packaging material that breaks down more easily.

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/politics-government/ci_23958062/san-jose-approves-foam-food-container-ban

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Wish every place would ban it.

[lunasun]

5. +1 same thought here!!!!

[grilled onions]

2. Foam..what's it good for?

For decades the only foam we remembered was the one that topped that great root beer or beer that was not flat. When fast food first started wrappers was the container of choice. When they started created "slippery" wiches they needed something to contain then runny mess. Hamburgers(actually called hamburger sandwiches in the 30's era) were simply a patty of meat(fresh pressed). Everything that you would put on it(and back then few even had cheese) was perhaps a slice of onion--and that was on the side, was your responsibility. Every counter has the normal red and yellow squirt bottles. Mayo, thankfully was still in our future,to slop on those burgers. Now it seems we are going back to the cardboard containers which, at least, has a more natural feel.....now if we could only get them to go back to "natural" tasting hamburgers then perhaps they won't need all that "special sauce".

[ErikJ]

3. BANS ACROSS THE U.S.

BANS ACROSS THE U.S.

A precedent has been established among West Coast cities in leading the ban on all Styrofoam products. Portland, Oregon had the first ban that was enacted in the late eightes and in following years over 100 cities nation wide have either an ordinance in place or are currently working on one. Other major cities include: L.A., Oakland, Santa Monica, Seattle, and San Francisco. Philadelphia and New York City are currently working on getting an ordinance passed through City Council.

We feel it is time for the Midwest and, more importantly, for Chicago to step up to the plate and follow the lead of the already 100+ cities in banning the use of Expanded Polystyrene (Styrofoam) food packaging. Our former Mayor Daley touted us as being one of the most environmentally cities in the nation, and Mayor Emanuel, with his Sustainable Chicago 2015 plan, is continuing that mission. So how can both of these green-hearted mayors allow the presence of Styrofoam throughout our city? How green can we really be if our LEED certified, green-roofed buildings are serving Styrofoam products?

Cities that have banned Styrafoam Food Packaging

Alameda, CA: Styrofoam banned 1/1/2008
Albany City: Styrofoam banned 9/1/2008
Aliso Viejo, CA: Styrofoam banned 6/2/2004
Amherst, MA: Styrofoam ban begins Jan 1 2014
Berkeley, CA: Styrofoam banned 6/1/1990
Brookline, MA: Styrofoam ban begins 12/1/2013
Calabasas, CA: Styrofoam banned 4/1/2008
Capitola, CA: Styrofoam banned 6/1/2009
Carmel, CA: Styrofoam banned 1/1/1989
Emeryville, CA: Styrofoam banned 3/1/2007
Fairfax, CA: Styrofoam banned 1/1/1993
Freeport, ME: Styrofoam banned 1/1/1990
Glen Cove, NY: Styrofoam banned 6/1/1989
Hecules, CA: Styrofoam banned 5/1/2008
Huntington Beach, CA: Partial Styrofoam ban 4/19/2004
Laguna Beach, CA: Styrofoam banned 7/1/2008
Los Angeles, CA: Partial Styrofoam ban
Malibu, CA: Styrofoam banned 7/1/2005
Milbrae, CA: Styrofoam banned 1/1/2008
Monterey, CA: Styrofoam banned 8/17/2009
Menlo Park, CA
Newport Beach, CA: Styrofoam banned 6/1/2009
Oakland, CA: Styrofoam banned 1/1/2007
Pacific Grove, CA: Styrofoam banned 6/1/2008
Pacifica, CA: Styrofoam banned 1/1/2010
Palo Alto, CA: Styrofoam banned 4/22/2010
Pittsburg, CA: Partial Styrofoam ban 1/1/1993
Portland, OR: Styrofoam banned 6/12/1990
Rahway, NJ: Styrofoam banned 12/1/1996
Richmond, CA: Styrofoam banned 7/1/2010
San Bruno, CA: Styrofoam banned 4/1/2010
San Clemente, CA: Partial Styrofoam ban 3/1/2004
San Francisco, CA: Styrofoam banned 6/1/2007
San Jose, CA: Partial Styrofoam ban 11/10/2009
San Juan County, WA: Styrofoam banned 4/22/2010
San Mateo County: Styrofoam banned 4/1/2008
Santa Cruz, CA: Styrofoam banned 10/18/2008
Santa Monica, CA: Styrofoam banned 2/9/2008
Scotts Valley, CA: Styrofoam banned 6/17/2009
Seattle, WA: Styrofoam banned 7/1/2010
Sonoma, CA: Partial Styrofoam ban 1/1/1989
Suffolk County, NY: Styrofoam banned 1/1/1998
Ventura County, CA: Partial Styrofoam ban 10/1/2004
West Hollywood, CA: Styrofoam banned 7/1/1990
Other Cities Currently Considering Bans

New York, NY: Partial Styrofoam ban proposed
Boston, MA: Proposed Styrofoam ban
Philadelphia, PA: Proposed Styrofoam ban
Somerville, MA: Proposed Styrofoam ban
Boston, MA: holding hearings to discuss ban

http://nofoamchicago.org/BansAcrossUS.html

[adieu]

4. SF, and I believe Oakland have already banned them

Heck, even the chinese shops in Chinatown have moved to the new compostable wood pulp based food containers.

They're reusable (I actually just rinse them) and they're definitely compostable and recyclable.