HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0664.062 2014-2016 Murashige, Laura
From: hawaii photo <hawaiiphoto@hotmail.com>
Sent: Monday, May 02, 2016 3:40 PM
To: Stuart Coleman
Cc: Council Testimony
Subject: Re: Strong Support for Bill 140
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On May 2, 2016, at 1:08 PM, Stuart Coleman<scoleman@surfrider.org> wrote:
May 2,2016
RE: Strong Support for Bill 140—Relating to Reduction of Polystyrene Food Containers
Hawaii County Hearing on May 3,3:00pm.
Dear Council Members Poindexter, Chung, Onishi, Ilagan,Paleka Jr.,David,Kanuha, Eoff&Wille,
As the Hawaii Manager of the Surfrider Foundation,I am writing in strong support of Bill 140. With
thousands of members in.Hawaii, we are committed to reducing the litter and environmental hazards of
single-use plastics as part of our popular Rise.Above Plastics campaign.
Polystyrene food products are one of the most littered items in our Islands, and at recent cleanups of the
Kona Coast on Sat.,April 16,we removed more than 432 foam pieces in less than two hours. Our Hilo
and Kona Chapters support Bill 140 because of the health and environmental threats that affect all of us in
Hawaii. Expanded polystyrene(EPS)foam containers are the most toxic and least recycled form of plastic
(less than 1%),yet Hawaii has the highest per capita use in the country.
During our monthly beach cleanups around the state,EPS foam products are among the top items we find
every time. In fact, as part of International Coastal Cleanup Day last year, 1,519 pieces of Styrofoam were
removed from Big Island beaches in a single day on Sat., Sept. 19th! That's why we need Bill 140,which
would help reduce these litter problems and environmental issues by requiring restaurants and food
service vendors to stop using toxic EPS foam containers.
We embrace a policy of"1, 2, C,"meaning products should be recyclable#1  plastics or
compostable, which is in line with the County's Zero-Waste Policy. There are many compostable or non-
toxic plastic alternatives that can be recycled. This bill provides vendors and restaurants enough time to
use their remaining inventory and transition to safer products,which hundreds of restaurants have already
done without any problems.Although foam products may be cheaper to buy,they have a hidden cost that
counties and citizens have to pay to clean them up.
Although the FDA approved EPS foam products in 1958,the science since then has shown that these are
toxic products. Here are some top reasons why EPS foam food service products are dangerous and
wasteful: 1„4 I,
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1.EPS foam is a toxic form of plastic made from non-renewable fossil fuels and synthetic chemicals
like styrene that leach out over time,especially in contact with hot,greasy or acidic food.
2. According to the National Institutes of Health(NIH), styrene is a dangerous carcinogen and neurotoxin
that can lead to cancer, lymphoma and leukemia. The EPA says 100% of humans have styrene in their fat
tissues.
3. Because EPS foam food service products are more than 90%air,they break apart easily and are often
blown onto our coastal areas and out to sea,where they are listed as one of the top 5 items collected at
beach cleanups.
4.EPS foam products never biodegrade but only photo-degrade into smaller micro-plastics.These pieces
act like sponges for toxic chemicals in the ocean and are consumed by marine creatures who mistake
them for food.
5. Hawaii has the highest per capita rate of take-out food in the country, and many food containers are
made of EPS foam products whose toxic chemicals threaten the health of humans and the environment.
6.Most of these products are hauled to our overflowing landfills where they never degrade but begin in to
leach toxic chemicals like styrene, a known carcinogen.
Along with the facts above,there have been many scientific studies showing the harmful effects of
polystyrene foam. That is why we oppose Bill 240 because similar bills have been used to delay action on
reducing the vast amounts of foam litter. In 2008,the Hawaii Senate passed SR78 SD 1 to create a
voluntary compliance program to switch from foam products to healthier alternatives, but nothing was
ever done to move this forward.And in 2014,the Honolulu City Council passed Resolution 14-175,to
study the effects of foam and other single-use products,but the study was never done.
The amount of testimony in both resolutions was overwhelmingly in favor of bills to reduce polystyrene
food containers. But those legislative bodies seemed to have been swayed by the exaggerated claims of
lobbyists for local foam producers and distributors.The irony is that these same companies already carry
and distribute more eco-friendly recyclable and compostable products because they know the writing is
on the wall. Scientific research and public sentiment have created a compelling case against their foam
products,and more than 100 cities and counties have already enacted successful foam bans.
We appreciate that this County Council has been an environmental leader in the state in moving forward
policies like the bill create smoke-free parks and beaches, and we ask you to assert that same leadership
on this issue. Because Polystyrene food service products are toxic to the environment and human health,
their use should be reduced and eventually banned.There are many available and affordable alternatives
that are non-toxic,biodegradable and pose no threats to the environment or human health and will cost the
counties less to clean up.
Protecting our land and people should be our top priority, not allowing a few companies to profit from
outmoded products that harm the environment and our wildlife.Mahalo for your time and leadership on
this issue and please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Stuart Coleman
Stuart H. Coleman,Hawaii Manager
Surfrider Foundation Hawaii Chapters * 2927 Hibiscus:Pl. * Honolulu, HI 96815 808-381-6220 *
scoleman@surfrider.org*www.surfrider.org
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Stuart H.Coleman I Hawaiian Islands Manager I Surfrider Foundation
808-381-6220 I scoleman@surfrider.org
Help keep the coastline clean,healthy and accessible...join Surfrider Foundation today!
Check out my new gift book Eddie Aikau: Hawaiian Hero!
Author of Fierce Heart and Eddie Would Go
www.stuart-coleman.com
www.EddieWouldGo.com
<SF-FoamBan-Bi11140-Testimony-May2,'16.pdf5
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