New York, NY – New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will propose a ban on Styrofoam, the substance commonly used for take-out food containers that is almost impossible to recycle.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
The mayor who has already targeted fat, sugar and salt in the city will turn to extruded polystyrene foam, saying it clogs up landfills, does not biodegrade and might harm human health.
Bloomberg will raise the proposal in his final State of the City speech on Thursday. The city provided reporters an advance text of the speech on Wednesday.
Bloomberg, in his 12th year as mayor, has made public health and sustainability hallmarks of his three terms in office, and he has taken aim repeatedly at the fast-food industry – most recently in his controversial plan to bar the sale of large portions of sugary soda, which goes into effect next month.
Styrofoam, he says, should go the way of lead-based paint, which the city banned from residential use in 1960. An estimated 20,000 tons of Styrofoam enter the city’s waste stream each year, and it can add an estimated $20 per ton to the cost of recycling because it needs to be removed from the recycling stream, the city said.
“After all, we can live without it. We may live longer without it. And the doggie bag will survive just fine,” the text of Bloomberg’s speech says.
Dow Chemical Co, which makes Styrofoam, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Similar bans have been adopted in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Portland, Oregon.
The plan was likely to meet opposition from small businesses, since alternatives to Styrofoam tend to cost between two and five times as much.
“As this proposal moves forward, we hope that the concerns of the small businesses it affects – like cost increases – will factor in at least as heavily as environmental concerns,” said Andrew Moesel, a spokesman for the New York Restaurant Association.
While Bloomberg’s aggressive campaigns have won him plaudits from some, others have dubbed him a “nanny” mayor and said his ideas limit choice and pre-empt individual responsibility.
During his first term, he pushed through a ban on smoking in bars and restaurants, which, despite an initially rocky reception from New Yorkers, is now enormously popular and has inspired similar bans in cities around the world.
Next up was a ban on trans fats, found in Little Italy cannoli and fast-food french fries, and a dictate that fast-food restaurants post calorie information in large type on menu boards.
Last year, Bloomberg said restaurants and takeaway food shops could no longer sell sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces (47 cl).
Sugar-sweetened drinks are a significant source of extra calories in the U.S. diet and closely linked with weight gain, which often accompanies serious and costly illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.
The soft drinks industry is challenging the ban, which is due to begin in March, calling it an unconstitutional overreach that burdens small businesses and infringes upon personal liberty.
If he really has nothing better to do, let him ban navel lint. It accomplishes nothing and is a waste of time to clean. We’ll be so much happier without it.
This is a no brainer…..it costs the city hundreds of millions of dollars each year to dispose of these kinds of non-recyclable waste such as styrofoam. There are obvious alternative which yidden especially should support since they promote the big mitzvah of tikun olam. In some frum communities after a 3 day yomtov/shabbos, you can see piles of trash with lots of stryofoam containers, cups and plates. It would be much better to use real dishes which get washed and reused but if thats a problem for big families with lots of guests, then at least use disposable containers and plates made from recyclable materials.
Thanks Mr. Mayor.
How about styrofoam peanuts used in packing as well?
And also please step up ticketing of litterbugs that throw used containers out of their cars, and those who don’t clear sidewalks of snow and ice. The city can use the money, no?
perhaps he can offer tax credits for businesses that stop selling or using styrofoam. Maybe that will encourage businesses and consumers to rally behind this push instead of being so often resentful with new bans.
Soon he’ll ban concerts, shaitels, the internet and sign off on all the “Kol Korehs”
at last. wonderful. cost saving doesn’t justify messing up the Creation. sad that it has to be banned – in lieu of morality, there is legislation.
This reminds me of that Stallone movie ‘Demolition man’. Pretty soon we’ll have the “3 shells” in the bathroom.
He should ban pompous filthy rich old men with Napoleon complexes from lording themselves over others.
This gives a new depth to one of Mayor Bonaparte’s less-complimentary nicknames: Bloombag.
I think this mayor should be impeached before he ends his term.Because it looks like if he stays we will be very limited with what we eat ,drink or own.
Who says that styrofoam isn’t recyclable? It’s just polystyrene and air and is just as recyclable as soda bottles. It’s just that no one separates it. The bottles themselves are redeemed separately.
Hitler YM”S used the same trick. He reasoned, lots of trees and wide-open spaces in Germany would take the minds of his subjects off the war he was preparing and the liberties they had lost along the way. He saw the way to ensure the compliance of the Germans was the creation of a nice and relaxing environment for work and leisure. Despite all their evil, Nazis YM”S received a warm welcome by the existing environmental organizations. As clearly illustrated by the current environmental groups, personal liberty is gladly sacrificed for what is called ‘the greater good’. It is a well-known fact that most of the environmental fanatics care nothing for matters of liberty, gladly surrendering it to tyrants and their promises of ‘environmental sustainability’. The Nazis created nature preserves, championed sustainable forestry, curbed air pollution, and designed the autobahn highway network as a way of bringing Germans closer to nature. Several nationwide programs were initiated by the Nazis as a facade to cover their real plans. The ‘Reich Nature Protection Law’ was to ensure the worker could walk through parks without worries. Also, laws were enacted to control air pollution.
If Kim Jung ill Bloomberg want so, so it shell be
This idea sounds great if you believe it is about environmentalism. But it is not, nor was the sugary sodas or transfats. It is about legislating something in order to place penalties and fines on those who do not comply. This money grubbing mayor, who won’t raise taxes, but will legislate us and fine us to death continues to show us his true colors.
Doesn’t the Mayor supposedly have a city to run? sugar drinks? salt? cups,
All these things are not part of the city. (exactly) How about Sandy? People need clothes, food, HEAT?? What he is talking about is nothing!! Talk about IMPORTANT things!!
Finally a good idea
Those styrofoam plates melts onto your hot food. Extremly unhealthy and cancer causing.
Mayor?? I thought the Mayor is concerned with issues like the crime rate increase, lack of affordable housing, elevation of drug sales in N.Y., results of Storms like Sandy throughout the 5 boroughs or the infrastructure crumbling. Styrofoam & Soda are personal preferences that people can CHOOSE for themselves whether they want to use or NOT!