County issues ban on Styrofoam

LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors this week banned the use of Styrofoam products in county facilities, condemning their adverse effects on the environment.The board also called for a report to study the feasibility of outlawing expanded polystyrene - a foam cushioning often used in packaging - in unincorporated county areas. "The adverse impacts of Styrofoam are profound. Given its lightweight quality, Styrofoam containers have a proclivity to become litter, even when disposed of properly," said Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. Expanded polystyrene is considered an environmental hazard mostly because it is lightweight and does not decompose in natural environments, Ridley-Thomas added. "As we move forward we must also ensure that there is local capacity to divert single-use containers from the waste stream through composting or recycling infrastructure," he said.

********** Published: September 23, 2010 - Volume 9 - Issue 23