Daily Signal: Maui on Dec. 31 became the first Hawaiian county—and one of the latest cities and counties across the United States—to ban polystyrene plastic (more commonly known as Styrofoam) food containers.
The purpose of the ban is to reduce pollution and encourage recycling across the island.
Yet, a recent report on the impact of a proposed Styrofoam ban in Oahu, another island to the north of Maui, suggests that a Styrofoam ban is unlikely to reduce litter and increase recycling in any part of Hawaii.
The new Maui ordinance prohibits food vendors or providers—defined as “any entity or person providing prepared food for consumption within the county”—from using single-use Styrofoam containers to package prepared food. Violators of the ordinance are subject to criminal punishment and monetary fines.
Environmentalist groups are thrilled about the new law and claim it will reduce pollution in the Pacific Ocean, as businesses will now serve food in environmentally friendly food containers.
Understandably, Hawaiians have an interest in protecting their environment. The state’s beautiful beaches and landscapes make it a hot spot for tourism—an industry that accounts for approximately 21 percent of the state’s economy.
But according to the Oahu study above, Hawaii does not recycle or compost single-use food containers of any kind, even if the containers are made of recyclable material.
Instead, the Hawaiian Department of Environmental Services collects and burns all single-use food containers once they are discarded. more here
I don’t buy fountain sodas nearly as often as I used to, and I darn sure won’t buy one if a styrofoam cup is not available. Plastic and paper cups sweat and don’t keep the drink cold, plus plastic cups frequently impart a weird taste to the drink.
To liberals, the sounds of the words lend veritas.
As long as a sentence is sufficiently loaded with empathic sounding syllables and uses complex and clever turns of phrases, then whatever is said is taken as Gospel.
Any nutjob idea can gain traction if it ‘sounds’ like it might make someone appear more virtuous and caring about the environment.
O.K. here’s the deal. They make fake Styrofoam out of potatoes. Also, table wear. See, if its the law that you can’t use styrene, then all those business owners HAVE to find an alternative.
The potato substitute is out there. Look it up. Go make some sales.
I’m not a greenie by any means and have no real problem with the containers, most times, but I refuse to drink anything hot or even warm out of PS foam or any other plastic if I can help it. Ceramic, glass or steel only, thanks. Polystyrene, a petrochemical, is strongly suspected of doing funny things to the hormone system and who knows what else. Pass.
There’s always banana leaves and coconut shells, I guess.
The problem isn’t styrofoam food containers, it’s the filthy homeless bums that throw them all over the landscape.
So why can’t we have an informed, effective war on these SOBs who keep sending Styrofoam heads to Hawaii?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Maybe we can swap Hawai’i for Hong Kong? Seems everybody in the one yearns to be governed the other way, already.