Sacramento - Assembly Member Betty Karnette (D – Long Beach) remains undeterred in her effort to reduce the use of polluting, non-recyclable foam food containers made of expanded polystyrene (EPS).

On February 22, Karnette introduced Assembly Bill 820. This bill, a re-introduction of the previous year’s Assembly Bill 1866, would prohibit the use of (EPS) food containers in state facilities. AB 1866 was approved on policy grounds, but was held back on fiscal grounds although compliance costs are minimal.

“Because of their un-recyclable nature these food containers end up doing two things: filling up our landfills and polluting our environment. It is time that state government lead by example. As a state, we should to be doing what we can to conserve our environment. The government should not be an exception,” said Karnette.

However, Karnette’s proposal has gained unified support from trash haulers, conservation groups and environmental organizations who believe that the long-term environmental benefits outweigh the minor, short-term fiscal costs. They argue that the state must take a leadership position in reducing un-recyclable products made and consumed in the state.

“Those of us who live near oceans and rivers get extremely aggravated when the state refuses to limit the amount of foam food containers that can be found washed up on beaches or in storm drains,” said Karnette.

“Not all foam containers are bad. But the bad ones are really bad. It’s ridiculous for the state to subsidize EPS foam food containers that take hundreds of years to break down, that can never be recycled, that pollute our beaches, that threaten wildlife, and that burden our landfills with bulky and potentially harmful containers.”
 
While EPS in general can be recycled, EPS food containers cannot due to contamination by the food they are made to protect.