We the people of Pacifica understand the harm(s) of foam and solid polystyrene food service ware to human health and the environment and request that the City of Pacifica eliminate its use from city facilities and events and food vendors/businesses. We ask the City of Pacifica to pass a ban of all foam and solid polystyrene food service ware in Pacifica and require the use of recyclable, reusable, and compostable/biodegradable food service ware.
Following are some of the reasons we are requesting this ban:
- Styrofoam and Polystyrene items are a common environmental pollutant that is non-biodegradable.
- Styrofoam is notorious as a pollutant that breaks down into smaller and smaller non-biodegradable pieces that are ingested by marine life and other wildlife thus harming or killing them
- Styrofoam is one of the common items littered and picked up in Pacifica as a part of the annual statewide Coastal Clean-up Day and the annual Earth Day Clean-up Event.
- Polystyrene has been proven by the EPA to have serious impacts on human health, wildlife, the aquatic environment and the economy
- Styrene is a known hazardous substance that the FDA suggests may penetrate food and drinks and be ingested by humans.
- Styrene is a suspected carcinogen and neurotoxin which potentiallly threatens human health.
- The environmental impacts of manufacturing, using, disposing, energy consumption, greenhouse gas effect, and other environmental effects of Styrofoam and Polystyrene are rated second most harmful in the State of California.
- A variety of recyclable, reusable, and compostable/biodegradable food service ware exists that are better for the environment and human health.
