Testimony presented by a representative of the American Chemistry Council before the Baltimore City Council's Judiciary and Legislative Investigations Committee on June 11

(Provided to The Brew by Lisa Harris Jones)

Introduction: Mike Levy, Director, Plastics Foodservice Packaging Group (PFPG) of the American Chemistry Council, a group which represents the leading suppliers and manufacturers of plastics foodservice packaging products, including polystyrene food and beverage containers.

What we support: We support the concept litter education and prevention, waste minimization and recycling, and supporting programs that address all litter and waste to help keep the City of Baltimore clean. Our industry has been a big supporter of these programs nationwide, and here in the City of Baltimore as well, and polystyrene foam foodservice is both an economical and overall sustainable choice for food establishments and consumers.

Why we oppose this ban:
Selected Product Bans do not Reduce Litter – A ban on a specific product like polystyrene foam foodservice, which makes up a very small amount of the litter stream (according to a 2012 study, commonly used polystyrene foam foodservice products make up 1.5 percent of litter) will not reduce litter – since the substitute foodservice products would be littered as well. And trading one type of littered item for another simply changes the makeup of litter without reducing it. For example, when San Francisco placed restrictions on the use of certain plastic foodservice products, the city found that alternatives became more littered. Substituting one type of litter for another is not a smart strategy. What works is neighborhoods taking responsibility for trash and litter – like the UFPIA – Upper Fells Point Involvement Association. They are on the water, and came up with a detailed list of improvement/enhancement projects & ideas to address litter prevention, block captains – without any bans on products. And according to their website they won 2nd place in the City wide clean community completion – which ACC is supporting this year through DPW and the Mayor’s initiatives. Those are the incentives to help reduce litter – not a ban on a product that gets replaced with another one.

Recovery and Recycling of PS: Polystyrene foodservice products are recovered and recycled in various ways in many communities, depending on the solid waste program.
• Baltimore residents are now able to recycle polystyrene foam, with a drop off facility at the Northwest Sanitation Yard on Sisson Street. Dart Container Corporation provides the container for foam recycling, and sells it other companies who recycle it into a variety of new products, including picture frames, crown molding and nursery plant containers.
• When these takeout polystyrene foam foodservice products used at home are not recycled in Baltimore, their energy is recovered at the Baltimore Refuse Energy Systems Company (BRESCO. The high BTU value of polystyrene contributes to the energy produced that helps provide electricity for as many as 40,000 homes.

PS Foodservice recycling more prevalent than paper foodservice recycling or composting, should Baltimore want to further explore curbside recycling
Many Americans believe that paper cups and plates are widely recycled and that similar plastic foam products cannot be recycled. A new study finds both beliefs to be mistaken. The study looked at access to recycling of foodservice products to compare recycling opportunities for paper versus polystyrene foam. The study of the fifty largest US and California cities found that far more communities provide access to recycling of polystyrene foam foodservice products than paper foodservice products. For example, half the population of California’s fifty largest cities has direct or indirect access to foam foodservice recycling. In contrast, only two percent of this population has direct or indirect access to paper foodservice recycling, meaning paper foodservice recycling in California is almost nonexistent. Of the population of the fifty largest US cities, sixteen percent has direct or indirect access to foam foodservice, while six percent can recycle paper foodservice. In addition, the study shows that access to composting of paper foodservice products also is low: only seven percent of the population of the fifty largest US cities. The study demonstrates that commonly held beliefs about the recyclability of foodservice products are not based on actual recycling activities.

ACCESS TO RECYCLING/COMPOSTING OF FOAM AND PAPER FOODSERVICE PRODUCTS
CA 50 Largest Cities Percent of Population
Foam Collected for Recycling 50%
Paper Collected for Recycling 2%
Paper Collected for Composting 13%
US 50 Largest Cities Percent of Population
Foam Collected for Recycling 16%
Paper Collected for Recycling 6%
Paper Collected for Composting 7%
Note: these population figures are solely for the fifty largest US cities and CA cities and cannot be extrapolated for the entire US or CA population.

Positive Alternatives to a Ban: To reduce litter in Baltimore, let’s work together on projects that actually work, such as the Clean Community Competition that challenges communities throughout Baltimore to get involved in cleaning up their neighborhoods on a daily basis. Companies that make polystyrene takeout products recently helped fund this contest that offers participating communities an opportunity to win a $5,000 cash prize for their efforts to clean up their neighborhood. Communities are judged on cleaning efforts, increasing recycling, debris removal, cleaning streets and alleys, clearing and sweeping storm drains, and beautification efforts. In last year’s competition, 72 communities from across Baltimore participated, and eight winners shared in the $24,000 prize. This year’s winner will be announced at the kickoff of the Mayor Rawlings-Blake’s Fall Clean Up on October 26. As the Mayor noted, “The Clean Community Competition brings people together to clean streets, clean waterways, and clean neighborhoods – and by doing so, they become more connected to their community and to each other.”


Support of Baltimore Sustainability Commission: We supported the measure to establish a Commission on Resource Sustainability and a Baltimore City Office of Sustainability that will look at comprehensive ways to reduce waste, encourage recycling, and conserve resources. One our PFPG member companies, Dart Container Corporation, sit on the Commission and help to contribute to sustainability programs within the City.

Why PS Foam is used and Cost Implications of a Ban: Baltimore city residents and foodservice establishments use polystyrene foam foodservice products for a variety of reasons, including health, safety, packaging convenience, low cost, and demonstrated performance. Polystyrene foam foodservice products generally are more economical – wholesale costs can be two, three, and four; up to five times less than their paper-based or reusable counterparts (reusables require extra equipment, labor, water, electricity, detergent …)

Low Environmental Footprint compared to alternative foodservice products: Polystyrene foodservice packaging uses less energy and resources to manufacture than comparable paper-based products, leaving a lighter footprint. For example, a polystyrene foam cup requires about 50% less energy to produce – and creates significantly fewer greenhouse gas emissions – than a similar coated paper-based cup with its corrugated sleeve. A full life cycle assessment (LCA) peer reviewed study comparing polystyrene foam foodservice impacts with paper-based and corn-based alternatives can be found at: http://plasticfoodservicefacts.com/Life-Cycle-Inventory-Foodservice-Products

Polystyrene Foodservice Safety: For more than 50 years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have approved the use of polystyrene for foodservice products. Polystyrene foodservice products offer a sanitary way to serve fresh food and to help prevent the spread of disease at school, restaurants, hospitals … even at home.

For these reasons, we believe the Committee and Baltimore City Council should oppose this ban on polystyrene foam foodservice. We hope to be able to continue our work with the City of Baltimore on constructive programs described above that can help tackle litter and marine debris.
Thank you for your consideration in this matter.