Washington, D.C. Approves Polystyrene Foam Ban on Single-Use Foodservice Packaging

Editor's note: Washington has introduced an environmental policy that bars restaurants and grocery stores from using disposable lunch boxes and beverage bottles made from polystyrene foam. The measure received approval from the mayor and the city council. Seattle and San Francisco had already adopted comparable rules, and other cities are now debating the issue.

According to available information, Washington Mayor Vincent Gray recently put forward a series of environmental protection policies, including the ban, which was approved by the city council. Earlier, Seattle and San Francisco had also introduced related environmental rules, requiring restaurants, coffee shops, grocery stores and mobile food trucks to stop using disposable foam plastic lunch boxes and beverage bottles.

Polystyrene foam degrades very slowly, making it a frequent target for environmental campaigners. The government ban, however, has drawn strong opposition from the plastics industry. Plastics companies argue that takeaway food restaurants will face higher operating costs, and those costs will ultimately be passed on to consumers, creating unnecessary burdens for businesses and individuals. Supporters counter that the prohibition will sharply reduce plastic waste in the Anacostia River. Running through the heart of the U.S. capital, the Anacostia is an important waterway, yet growing use of foam plastic packaging boxes has left its banks and waters littered with discarded plastic, causing serious environmental pollution.

Washington, D.C.'s ban on disposable plastic packaging boxes aligns with Seattle and San Francisco. At the same time, some other cities have adopted similar bans, while others are still discussing the matter.

The ban is expected to take effect in 2016, two years earlier than the timing Mayor Gray had previously requested.

Waste plastics bring serious risks. Non-organic plastic buried underground does not rot for 200 years. If incinerated, it produces harmful smoke, dust and toxic gases that pollute the environment over the long term. When plastic is forced into soil, its impermeability affects heat transfer inside the soil and the growth of microorganisms, changing soil characteristics. As these plastics accumulate over time, they can also hinder crops from absorbing nutrients and water, leading to lower yields.

California has also decided to fully ban disposable plastic bags. Once the prohibition bill passes, Californians shopping at supermarkets may only use bags they bring themselves, or paper bags, bags containing degradable substances, or reusable bags supplied by the supermarket. Customers must pay 10 cents for bags provided by the store.

Last year, the European Union called on member states to cut non-organic plastic bag use to ease the environmental pollution crisis. EU statistics show that the bloc consumes tens of billions of non-organic plastic bags annually. Member states agreed to reduce their use, but results have been poor. Surveys show that in Denmark and Finland in Northern Europe, each person uses an average of 4 non-organic plastic bags per year, while in Poland the average is 466 per person per year. Cyprus is another country with serious non-organic plastic bag use.

This article is reprinted from China Packaging Network (pack.cn). Original link: http://news.pack.cn/show-361775.html