Styrofoam ban in Foster City takes a step forward
Alexa Hemken
The Lagonian
07/18/2011
The City Council voted 4-1 Monday night to conduct a study on the impact of banning Styrofoam and other types of plastic take-out containers at retail food locations in Foster City.
San Mateo County and five other cities in the county have already banned polystyrene—the material that environmental groups say causes water pollution and harms wildlife.
Solid polystyrene is a rigid plastic and is often found as the clear plastic clamshell containers or black plastic containers, according to a staff report presented to the City Council.
Expanded polystyrene, typically known by its Dow Chemical trademarked name, Styrofoam, is a white foam plastic that is often used for take out clamshell containers or coffee cups, according to the report.
Two councilmembers—Rick Wykoff and Charlie Bronitsky—were concerned that a study would not be objective.
Ultimately, the council directed city staff and the Environmental Sustainability Task Force (ESTF), the 15-member citizen advisory to the City Council on environmental matters, to write the study.
In 2009, ESTF endorsed a polystyrene and plastic bag ban for Foster City.
Councilwoman Pam Frisella voted no, saying that other cities and the county have already done research on the issue and that the Council should vote on an ordinance without conducting a study.
Two members of the public—Sally Liu, a Foster City resident and past president of ESTF, and Allison Chan, a representative of Save the Bay—supported the study and a ban.
Chan said the second most abundant form of beach debris in California is polystyrene.
"Smaller pieces are very difficult to clean," she said, and sometimes animals mistake the pieces for food.
