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What is
Polystyrene?
Polystyrene foam
(commonly referred to as "Styrofoam") is
generally used to make cups, bowls, plates,
trays, clamshell containers, meat trays, and egg
cartons. Styrofoam is recognized as a sturdy,
sanitary, economical, and convenient product in
food service industries, but poses a serious
threat to our environment and health, given its
inherent non-biodegradable nature and chemical
composition.
Styrofoam is a non-renewable petroleum
by-product resource, composed of the chemicals
styrene and benzene. Benzene is a classified
carcinogen, and styrene is a neurotoxin that is
also suspected to cause cancer. Styrofoam is
inherently non-biodegradable and non-recyclable
and is estimated to take hundreds of years to
decompose.
What are the banned food service containers?
Containers that
will not biodegrade, compost, or cannot be
recycled. This specifically refers to expanded
polystyrene (one example of which is known as
Styrofoam (tm)).
This ban applies
to single-use disposable containers intended for
serving or transporting prepared ready-to-eat
food or beverage. Examples include cups, plates,
trays, bowls, and hinged or lidded containers.
This does not apply to single-use disposable
food service items which are not used as food
containers, such as straws, cup lids and
utensils.
What Are the Alternatives to Polystyrene
Take out Containers?
There is a
growing market for alternative products to
polystyrene. These products are either
recyclable or biodegradable. Biodegradable
products are
manufactured from readily renewable sources such
as Bagasse from sugarcane fiber, corn and
potato.
Cities such as San Francisco, which have
implemented a ban on Styrofoam food service-ware
products have experienced a dramatic influx of
distributors of alternative products into the
market, driving the cost of these
alternatives down.
When does
the Ordinance Take Effect?
The ban takes
effect August 16th, 2009.
The ordinance
was passed by the City Council on February 16,
2009. City staff recommended enforcement to
begin 6 months after passage by City
Council, to allow businesses to exhaust their
existing supply of polystyrene containers.
Who must comply with this ordinance?
This ordinance
prohibits all food providers in the City of
Monterey from dispensing prepared food in
products that are not biodegradable, compostable
or recyclable. “Food provider” means any
persons providing food within the City of
Monterey for public consumption on or off its
premises and includes without limitation any
store, shop, sales outlet, restaurant,
delicatessen, grocery store, super market,
catering truck or vehicle, or any other person
who provides prepared food, or any promoters and
participants of special events. The ordinance
also covers food containers purchased by city
staff, city-sponsored events, city-managed
concessions and city-permitted events.
What are the
penalties for non-compliance?
The measure
provides for tiered monetary penalties to be
assessed for violations.
The 1st
violation results in a written warning.
· The
2nd violation results in a fine of up
to $100 (violator may submit receipts
demonstrating purchase of at least $100 worth of
biodegradable, compostable, or recyclable
products).
· The
3rd violation results in a fine of up
to $200.
· The
4th violation results in a fine of up
to $500.
Promoters or
participants of special events that are
non-compliant shall result in the following
penalties:
· A
fine not to exceed $200
for an event of 1 to 200 Persons
-
A fine not to
exceed $400 for an event of 201 to 400
Persons
-
A fine not to
exceed $600 for an event of 401 to 600
Persons
· A
fine not to exceed $1,000 for an event of 600 or
more Persons
Interestingly, San Francisco who has also passed
a similar ordinance, estimates it has achieved
approximately a seventy-percent compliance rate
without issuing one single citation for
non-compliance.
What is the heat tolerance of compostable
products?
When determining
what type of compostable product line to use, it
is important to know whether you will be serving
hot or cold food. For example, a popular
corn-based container has a heat tolerance of
around 100 degrees F and is excellent for
salads, sandwiches and cold drinks, but not hot
foods or drinks. Specific brands of compostable
food containers are designed for hot foods and
drinks. Before you choose a container, be sure
to ask for information on heat tolerance and
other product specifications.
Why can't
Polystyrene be recycled locally?
Polystyrene is
not easily
recycled because of its light weight and its
low scrap value, both which make it virtually
unprofitable to include in a curbside recycling
program.
Where do I find acceptable food service
containers?
Contact or visit
your sales representatives to inquire about
acceptable containers. If they do not carry
them, request that they begin doing so. As a
service to the community, the city has a list of
suppliers of acceptable food service
containers.
Click here to see a list of local
environmental products suppliers.
Who can I call for questions about where to find
alternative products, ordinance enforcement,
exemptions, recycling technical assistance or
community presentations?
Contact Angela
Brantley or Lesley Milton at the City of
Monterey Recycling Programs office at
831.646.5662 or
Brantley@Ci.Monterey.Ca.Us
or
Milton@Ci.Monterey.Ca.Us
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