Styrofoam leaves bad taste in Calabasas

Calabasas residents spoke out both for and against a cityproposed ban on polystyrene at last week's City Council meeting. Some feel the ban is necessary. Another calls it a "feelgood move."

A decision on the matter was delayed until more information is compiled.

Polystyrene is better known as Styrofoam, a trademarked name for the packaging material used mainly for take-out food containers and to-go coffee cups.

Melina Watts of the Santa Monica Mountains Resource Conservation District and the Malibu Creek Watershed Council said the material causes problems and suggested possible alternatives to its use.

"Plastic is not food," Watts said. "Whales eat zooplankton, and there are six times as many little bitty pieces of plastic as there is zooplankton. The whales can't tell the difference. We are mangling our oceans to an extent that is really unfathomable."

Watts also brought up the difficulty in recycling the product and the eyesore created when its litter dots the coastline, and said a chemical in plastics poses a variety of health risks.

Tom Knox, from the polystyrene packaging council, attended the meeting and addressed concerns.

"Over the last 20 years there have been about 50 cities in the country that have banned polystyrene," Knox said. "None of them have any data to show any direct benefit from doing that. Your downstream neighbor, Malibu, did pass a ban about a year ago," Knox said, "but there is no data as of yet whether or not this has reduced their beach debris by even one piece."

"Here's my offer to you," responded Mary Sue Maurer, city council member. "We'll completely ban polystyrene and we'll work with you . . . and we'll do an analysis on what kind of impact it has.

"We're at the headwaters of the Los Angeles River. We need to set an example."

Knox also said there is no enforcement of the ban in Malibu, and that many restaurants there still use foam containers.

"It's a feel-good move that doesn't even really produce any environmental benefits," he said.

Jennifer Forkish, director of local government relations for the California Grocer's Association, was on hand to represent three major retailers in Calabasas.

"As good neighbors and responsible corporate citizens, we take environmental stew

ardship very seriously,"

Forkish said. "To that end, while other cities have proposed banning (polystyrene) packaging, we firmly believe that public education combined with a program allowing for recycling is essential."

Forkish said polystyrene's popularity is due to its low cost and food safety concerns such as the ability to keep foods and liquids hot or cold.

The council last summer heard testimony from Jennifer Voccola, Malibu's environmental programs analyst. Voccola said polystyrene "takes decades to centuries to deteriorate" and pointed out the danger to wildlife species that eat the small pieces.

After Voccola's presentation, the council told city staff to survey businesses that could be affected by a ban. The city contacted 71 local business owners and 58 responded. Most were restaurant owners; some were from supermarkets, dry cleaners and coffee bars.

About 30 percent of respondents said they use polystyrene packaging for takeout food orders, and 39 percent said they use it for take-out liquids.

Overall, 42 percent of respondents said they regularly use polystyrene products; 40 percent said they never do. Twelve percent said "sometimes" and 6 percent said they use it "often."

The City Council remained divided on the use of the product.

"I haven't heard anything here tonight to change the way I think. I would like to see our city . . . fully ban polystyrene," said Maurer, whose comments were followed by loud applause from some audience members.

Mayor Pro Tem James Bozajian opposed ban.

"I'm not convinced that a ban would be appropriate for the city to enact without some sort of a regional or state-wide ban," Bozajian said. "In this area where businesses are very competitive . . . I wouldn't want to do anything that would jeopardize businesses."

Councilmember Jonathan Wolfson suggested the staff look into a recycling program that could be combined with a ban.