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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
URGING THE PASSAGE OF SB1531 (THE DISPOSABLE FOOD SERVICE CONTAINER ACT)
WHEREAS, polystyrene foam, commonly referred to as "Styrofoam" is used in disposable food service containers and widely used for take-out foods, beverages, and leftover meals. Studies on polystyrene foam suggest it may never truly biodegrade, instead breaking down into smaller chemical microplastics. It is difficult to recycle, takes more than 500 years to break down in a landfill, and contributes to environmental contamination and cleanup costs generally borne by local governments; and
WHEREAS, styrene is a chemical used in the production of polystyrene and has been identified as a probable human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the National Toxicology Program (NTP); studies have shown harmful chemicals in plastics can leach into our bodies; and
WHEREAS, use of polystyrene foam food service containers contributes to microplastics in the environment, polystyrene microplastics contaminate the food contained in the disposal container, and through the lifecycle of microplastics in landfills, non-biodegradable pollutants are ingested and inhaled by humans, animals and marine creatures; and
WHEREAS, after ingesting polystyrene particles, due to their small size, they may be transported to other organs via the bloodstream and lymphatic system accumulating in organs like the brain, liver, lungs, and others; and
WHEREAS, styrene is linked to at least vision and hearing loss, poor memory and concentration, cancer, nervous system damage; and
WHEREAS, there are better alternatives for disposable food containers and reducing the use of polystyrene foam serves an important public health and environmental benefit by limiting human exposure to microplastics in food, water, and the broader ecosystem; and
WHEREAS, an estimated 22 million pounds of plastic enters the Great Lakes each year. Too much of plastic pollution is from single...
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