(Sacramento) –Assembly Member Betty Karnette (D – Long Beach) gained initial approval of Assembly Bill 820, her legislative proposal to cleanse California’s environment and ocean of polluting, non-recyclable foam food containers made of expanded polystyrene (EPS).

AB 820, Karnette’s second attempt to rid California’s waterways of harmful polystyrene, would prohibit the use of (EPS) food containers in state facilities. The measure was approved by the Assembly Natural Resources Committee on policy grounds and now proceeds to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. While some EPS can be recycled, EPS food containers cannot due to contamination by the food they are made to protect.

“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.”

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.

“Because of its un-recyclable nature, foamed polystyrene ends up doing two things: filling up our landfills and polluting our environment. It is time for state government to 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.

View an on-line legislative analysis of AB 820 by visiting: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/0708/bill/asm/ab_08010850/ab_820_cfa_20070413_112425_asm_comm.html