We all love clean beaches, healthy oceans and a sustainable environment! Why would we let a poor food packaging choice jeopardize these wonderful natural treasures when there are superior packaging alternatives on the market? Expanded polystyrene foam (commonly known as Styrofoam™) takeout ware breaks apart easily and becomes a major source of litter, which can persist in the environment for an indefinite amount of time. In a recent study of the San Gabriel and Los Angeles rivers, 71% of all plastic litter is expanded polystyrene foam. These small pieces of foam run the risk of harming wildlife that mistake it for food. Even if someone has the inclination to recycle the expanded polystyrene foam, most curbside recyclers will not accept it.
Expanded foam takeout ware not only negatively affects the environment and wildlife but also human health! Styrene residues are found in 100% of all samples of human fat tissue from exposure through food and packaging. Styrene has been classified as an anticipated human carcinogen and a neurotoxin.
Already there are restaurants throughout the United States switching from polystyrene to less harmful food and beverage containers. It has been proven that the cost of alternative food and beverage container products is not so significant as to prevent using alternatives to polystyrene foam.
Pledge to refuse expanded polystyrene foam takeout ware and encourage sustainable packaging. You can also encourage your favorite food eateries to switch to sustainable alternatives to expanded polystyrene foam.
PLEDGE
I pledge to refuse expanded polystyrene foam takeout ware at restaurants and food stores;
I pledge to help the environment by opting for sustainable and healthy foodware packaging;
I also pledge to try to encourage my favorite restaurants to switch to non-foam alternatives; and
If possible, I pledge to encourage my local schools and school district to stop serving meals on expanded polystyrene foam trays.
(This pledge will be used to support California Senate Bill
568 [Lowenthal], a bill to support a clean environment and healthy foodware alternatives by phasing out the distribution of expanded polystyrene foam food containers).
