HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0944.011 2014-2016 PI(/I4NcrL
(,C kt g, 144
Murashige, Laura
From: Robert Petricci <nimo1767@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 02, 2016 1:54 AM
To: Council Testimony
Cc: margaretwille; David, Maile; Ilagan, Greggor; Paleka, Daniel; Onishi, Dennis; Poindexter,
Valerie; [off, Karen; Kanuha, Dru
Subject: Testimony in opposition to resolution 565
8/02/16
Testimony of Robert Petricci
Hearing date: 8/03/16
Re: Hawaii County Council Resolution 565
Position: strongly opposed
Aloha Council members
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
My name is Robert Petricci, I live in Pohoiki Hawaii.
I know you all have been researching the Styrofoam issue. I hope you will now will choose to act and oppose
this resolution in favor of a ban. The time for a task force on the issue has past IMO.
The nation and the world are moving to protect the environment by banning Styrofoam. The issue has been
widely studied already and the results are in as cities and municipalities around the nation and the planet move
to and enacted similar bans on plastic foam and now form a fast growing map of Styrofoam bans nationally.
Map with other municipalities bans on styrofoam in the U.S.
http://groundswell.org/map-which-cities-have-banned-plastic-foam/
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates of the three million tons of polystyrene produced in the
U.S., 2.3 million tons end up in landfills, with much of the remainder finding its way into waterways.
The EPA also reported Americans discard 25,000,000,000 (that's 25 billion), Styrofoam cups per year. That is
just cups, to-go container and other sources are not included. With few if any recycling options hundreds of
years from now practically every Styrofoam cup handed out this morning will still be sitting in a landfill, or be
part of a plastic soup polluting our oceans and waterways.
Washington D.C. the nations capitol banned styrofoam in 2014, and Styrofoam was banned in Los Angeles
County School District when students requested a ban on polystyrene food trays after they learned that food
contaminated polystyrene does not get recycled; instead it goes straight to the dump. When the students saved
Comm: No. 9 •
1 Ref.
Pef. Date UG .2016-=-'
their lunch trays from just one day and hung them from a campus tree,they were amazed to see how much non-
recyclable waste they were contributing with the trays.
L.A.School District Superintendent John Deasy cited two powerful reasons for granting the students'
requested ban on polystyrene food trays: (1)the environmental impact of the non-biodegradable polystyrene on
neighborhoods, rivers and beaches; and(2)the health and safety of the children. The U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services categorized Sytrene as a "reasonably anticipated human carcinogen" in 2011. The 2011
USDHHS document cites several studies showing that Americans are dosed with styrene literally from our first
taste of mother's milk. Mothers release styrene and other chemicals stored in their bodies through their breast
milk. Primary exposure to styrene comes from food and drink contaminated with styrene that has leached from
polystyrene containers. Humans store styrene in our adipose tissue (fat).
When we didn't know these things a task force may have been a good idea, but now that we do it will just
make the problem that much worse by unnecessarily dragging out the solution. There are proven alternative as
progressive leaders and successful business like Island Naturals show us the way to safer, cleaner, greener
Hawaii.
Mahalo for your consideration, please oppose HCR565.
Robert Petricci
2