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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0107.119 2016-2018 Murashige, Laura COUNTY CLERK From: Stuart Coleman <scoleman@surfrider.org> COUNTY OF HAWAI`I Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2017 11:33 AM RECEIVED jav To: Council Testimony Time 10=15 am Date Subject: Strong Support for Bill 13 to Ban Polystyrene Foam Attachments: SF-Biglsland-FoamBan-Testimony-Feb.'17.doc Feb. 20, 2017 RE: Support for Bill 13 Relating to Polystyrene Disposable Food Containers Hawaii County Council Hearing on Tue., Feb. 21, 1:30pm. Dear Council Members, Foundation, I am writingin support the Hawaii Manager of the Surfrider strong of Bill 13,the bill to reduce the use of polystyrene food containers. With thousands of Surfrider members in Hawaii and two chapters on the Big Island, 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 the Big Island is no exception. All of our five Hawaii Chapters support this bill 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, yet Hawaii has one of the highest per capita uses in the country. The foam industry opponents will say it's recyclable, but less than 1% is ever recycled. They will also say that it's a"litter problem,"but the plastics industry has been using this tactic and blaming the public for decades without producing products that are actually recyclable. An EPS foam ban was implemented in San Francisco, and there was a 30% decrease in EPS litter within one year (San Francisco Street Litter Re-Audit, 2008). Over 100 cities and counties across the country have enacted EPS foam bans. For an extensive list see: http://www.surfrider.org/pages/polystyrene-ordinances. Opponents will also say that banning polystyrene food containers will hurt small businesses, but there are many restaurants that have dropped these products and are doing just fine. In fact,the new Ocean Friendly Restaurants Hawaii program has certified more than 120 restaurants that are foam-free since Earth Day 2016! Comm. No. `®� 1 Ref. To: ii0 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, 17,383 cups, plates and pieces of EPS foam were removed from Hawaii's beaches in a single day(9/9/15)! That's why we need this bill, 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 &#2 plastics or compostable, which is in line with the County's Zero-Waste Policy and plans to build a new composting facility. 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. 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 into our coastal areas and out to sea,where they are listed as one of the top 10 items collected at beach cleanups. 4. EPS foam never biodegrades but only breaks 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. More than 180 marine species are known to eat plastics, including endangered species like sea turtles and albatross. 5. Hawaii has one of the highest per capita rates 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 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 don't want to delay taking action to reduce foam use and litter. In 2008, the Hawaii Senate passed SR78 SD1 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. 2 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 see the writing on the wall against foam litter. 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. The County's own Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan has stipulated that"source reduction" is the top priority. This bill would help move that plan forward and save the County money in cleanup costs. In fact,the recent Hawaii Department of Transportation(DOT) Trash Reduction Plan shows that styrofoam and plastic bags are the top two contributors to our wastestream, and it costs the state millions of dollars to clean them up. We appreciate that this County Council has been an environmental leader in the state in moving forward policies like the bills to ban plastic bans and create smoke-free parks &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 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 I Hawaiian Islands Manager I Surfrider Foundation 808-381-6220 I scoleman!a)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. 3 � q gigg. FOUNDATION Feb. 20,2017 RE: Support for Bill 13 Relating to Polystyrene Disposable Food Containers Hawaii County Council Hearing on Tue.,Feb.21, 1:30pm. Dear Council Members, As the Hawaii Manager of the Surfrider Foundation,I am writing in strong support of Bill 13,the bill to reduce the use of polystyrene food containers. With thousands of Surfrider members in Hawaii and two chapters on the Big Island,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 the Big Island is no exception. All of our five Hawaii Chapters support this bill 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, yet Hawaii has one of the highest per capita uses in the country. The foam industry opponents will say it's recyclable,but less than 1% is ever recycled. They will also say that it's a"litter problem,"but the plastics industry has been using this tactic and blaming the public for decades without producing products that are actually recyclable. An EPS foam ban was implemented in San Francisco, and there was a 30%decrease in EPS litter within one year(San Francisco Street Litter Re-Audit, 2008). Over 100 cities and counties across the country have enacted EPS foam bans. For an extensive list see: http://www.surfrider.org/pages/polystyrene-ordinances. Opponents will also say that banning polystyrene food containers will hurt small businesses,but there are many restaurants that have dropped these products and are doing just fine. In fact,the new Ocean Friendly Restaurants Hawaii program has certified more than 120 restaurants that are foam-free since Earth Day 2016! 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, 17,383 cups,plates and pieces of EPS foam were removed from Hawaii's beaches in a single day(9/9/15)! That's why we need this bill,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 &#2 plastics or compostable, which is in line with the County's Zero-Waste Policy and plans to build a new composting facility. 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.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. Surfrider Foundation Hawaii Chapters * 2927 Hibiscus Pl. * Honolulu, HI 96815 808-381-6220 * scoleman@surfrider.org * www.surfrider.org 4A, . VR1 . E T 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 into our coastal areas and out to sea, where they are listed as one of the top 10 items collected at beach cleanups. 4. EPS foam never biodegrades but only breaks 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.More than 180 marine species are known to eat plastics, including endangered species like sea turtles and albatross. 5. Hawaii has one of the highest per capita rates 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 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 don't want to delay taking action to reduce foam use and litter. In 2008,the Hawaii Senate passed SR78 SD1 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 see the writing on the wall against foam litter. 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. The County's own Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan has stipulated that"source reduction"is the top priority. This bill would help move that plan forward and save the County money in cleanup costs. In fact,the recent Hawaii Department of Transportation(DOT)Trash Reduction Plan shows that styrofoam and plastic bags are the top two contributors to our waste stream, and it costs the state millions of dollars to clean them up. We appreciate that this County Council has been an environmental leader in the state in moving forward policies like the bills to ban plastic bans and create smoke-free parks&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 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