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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0107.021 2016-2018 FROM : FAX NO. : Jul. 45 19160 12:13PM P1 Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawai` . PO_Box 25284 • Honolulu •Hawaii • 96825 COUNTY CLERK (808)393 2168 • www.b-e-a-c-h.org COUNTY OF HAWAI'I RECEIVED Time 7:03 4.4.v By DATE: 8th March,2017 Date 3-8-17 TO: Council Chair Valerie Poindexter,Vice-Chair Karen Eoff and Members of the Hawaii County Council FROM: Suzanne Frazer,President,Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawaii RE: TESTIMONY IN STRONG SUPPORT OF BILL 13 Draft 2 Relating to reduction of polystyrene foam"styrofoam"food containers and food service wart. Council meeting on Wednesday 8th March,2017 at 9AM. Aloha Chair Poindexter,Vice-Chair Eoff and Members of the Council, I am writing on behalf of Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawaii(B.E.A.C.H.)in strong support of Bill 13 Draft 2 which will ban all polystyrene food and drink containers includ- ing plates,cups,bowls,trays,carton and clamshell containers from being used for prepared food. All of these food service items are in the top 10 most littered plastic items on beaches. Banning the use of these items will help greatly to reduce plastic litter on beaches. "Styrofoam"is the only plastic that breaks down quicker in water than it does on land. It would be good if this bill included banning the sale of empty polystyrene foam contain- ers and also had language which clarifies that this bill also relates to food served in school cafeterias as children should not be eating out of toxic polystyrene foam at school. Number 6 plastic is rarely recycled and once it is contaminated with food and drinks it is not recyclable. Polystyrene is made from petroleum and contains benzene which is carcinogenic. Polystyrene leaches styrene,a chemical that is toxic to the brain and nervous system and has been found to adversely affect red blood cells,liver,kidney,stomach and cause cancer in animal stud- ies. Styrene is released especially when the container or cup is subjected to heat,so polystyrene foam containers and cups are a very bad choice for hot food and drinks. Oily and acidic foods and drinks also facilitate the migration of styrene from the container into the f --a g y food/drink. Polystyrene food containers have also been shown to have estrogenic activity(EA). Chemicals that cause EA are those that act like a synthetic form of estrogen or block the action of naturally a occuring estrogen in the body and cause endocrine disruption. In humans,chemicals having EA -� can cause prostrate and breast cancer and many reproductive health problems. Unborn children, t.) babies and vounu children are esaeciallv sensitive to low doses of chemicals having EA. m. FROM : FAX NO. : Jul. 45 19160 12:13PM P2 In the polystyrene plastics industry,workers have been found to have higher incidences of cancer including leukemia and suffer from many adverse health effects from the inhalation of styrene. Styrene causes neurotoxicity and therefore affects people's nervous system and also impaires the immune system, Polystyrene containers are also harmful to the environment. Plastic does not biodegrade. It does not have a timeline for disappearing. Plastic lasts forever. When plastic gets into the ocean it accumulates additional poisons such as dioxins,DDT,DDE and other persistant organic pollutants (POPS). Polystyrene foam has been found inside of sea birds and fish. The ingestion of plastic not only causes blockages and starvation,but the animals and birds are harmed through the uptake of toxic chemicals such as styrene which leaches from the ingested plastic and accumulates in the fatty tissues of the animal. These chemicals are then passed through the food chain. Styrene is also found in the fatty tissues of humans. In a 1982 study by the EPA(the National Human Adipose Tissue Survey), 100% of Americans studied had styrene in their fatty tissues. The EPA's Styrene Fact Sheet states that styrene does not occur naturally. yr Y We need to do everything we can to reduce plastic on beaches and in the ocean in order to save marine life as polystyrene foam cups,containers and pieces of foam can and do wash into the ocean which is why these containers need to be banned. Polystyrene foam is lightweight,easily breaks into pieces and is wind blown. Picking up small,broken pieces of polystyrene foam in wind at the beach is difficult, There are good alternatives to polystyrene food and drink containers available that are made from sugar cane and other vegetable fibres that do not contain benzene,styrene or petroleum. Our organization also recommends that people bring their own containers made of glass,stainless steel or ceramic for food and drinks. Your leadership is needed to help protect the people of Hawaii County,visitors,marine life,the food chain and the environment from the harmful effects of polystyrene. Please lead the way for the rest of Hawai'i by passing this bill and being the first county in Hawaii to take action to ban disposable polystyrene food and drink service containers. Thank you. Please accept this as written testimony in support of this bill. Sincerely, • 4eFraz . .Nr.4 rdik Beach Envin nnzentalAwareness Campaign Hawaii is an all aolunteer,non-pmfif oyganirAtion that brings awareness and solutions to marine debris thmuih environmental Alt/tali/my plastic mulch-an/litter prevention C in a and marine debris rgrnorrhd mil irc,rn h•7/order In hrn4',I rnar?17P 17{P con ferric mid flip!corn,frnnda1 stm rim,nlinf I