Ban on Polystyrene Food Packaging

The Hermosa Beach City Council has officially approved a ban on polystyrene food packaging, which includes restaurants and grocery stores.

So, another California city has put the lid on expanded polystyrene packaging. And now California is going forward with a statewide referendum to ban them altogether. SB 568, by Sen. Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach), would prohibit a food vendor or restaurant on or after Jan. 1, 2016 from dispensing prepared food to a customer in a polystyrene foam food container. The compliance date for public schools is July 1, 2017.

Again, instituting more bans believing this is the solution to reduce waste. Keith Christman, managing director of the plastics markets for the American Chemistry Council, told Plastics Today; “Litter is certainly a challenge, but we have to work on preventing litter and making sure products are disposed of properly and recycled after use.” Which is a polite way of saying; “people can’t be responsible for their actions and we need to change that.”

The ultimate allure of thermoplastics should be its reusability through recycling. But now the law says; “We have to take away their “toys” until they learn to play properly.”

When are we going to “grow up” and take personal responsibility without some law telling us what to do because we evidently can’t make such decisions for ourselves?