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In January, the city of Oakland, California, just across the bay from San Francisco, instituted a tax on businesses that they believed created the most litter in the city. The city council felt that businesses needed to be more socially responsible for their customer's actions, while business owners opposed the measure, saying that packaging is necessary to sell goods - particularly food items - in a safe and sanitary manner.
Now, city businesses have to change the way they package their food, in addition to paying for it, because the city has just banned styrofoam food packaging.
Due to take effect in January, the measure says that all food packaging must be biodegradable when composted with food waste. Supporters of the law point out that 15 percent of the litter collected in storm drains is styrofoam/polystyrene packaging. They gained additional support from the fact that there are 100 other cities, including Portland and neighboring Berkeley, which have similar bans, and San Francisco is expected to join that list later this year.
The city will use fines ranging from $100-$500 to enforce the measure and businesses that still use styrofoam will have have to find another way to keep their food warm.
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6-29-2006 @2:15PM Mike said... It would be interesting to read the actual law ( statute? rule?) since there are no food containers or coffee cups anywhere that are made of STYROFOAM™. Styrofoam is a trademarked product from Dow that is only used for building insulation.
As for polystyrene foam containers, besides donut shops using generic cups, restaurants that send out full takeout meals will need to find something, but most likely they won't keep food hot as well as keep it from leaking.
Would your basic Chinese takeout paperboard container count? (hopefully the metal handle gets a pass for not being biodegradable ) Whole Foods has similar containers for their hot food takeout, so there are probably some readily available containers suited for a whole meal.
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6-29-2006 @2:38PM Sam said... I've actually seen the "chinese-food-style" containers with dividers in them. While not ideal, it could work for some types of food (except soups/chili and larger items like sandwiches).
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7-01-2006 @11:35AM Thomas H. said... Thank God someone has the gut's and the smarts and all at the same time. When I was a kid my Mom wrapped up our sandwiches in wax paper and a plain brown paper bag and mmmmmmmm they tasted pretty darn good, even if I was hungry. Sometimes the old way is the best way.
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7-01-2006 @11:37AM Thomas H. said... Even steel handles are biodegradable in time.
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