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Buffalo Common Council won't take action toward potential Styrofoam ban for 30 days
2019-03-27

From:WIVB


Following a public listening session on the subject on Tuesday afternoon, Buffalo Common Council president Darius Pridgen announced that he will not take any legislative action toward a possible ban for 30 days, during which constitutents are invited to write letters to the Common Council in support of or against a ban.


A resolution to ban Styrofoam containers in the city would follow a similar ban that went into effect in New York City at the beginning of the year.


The law in New York City prevents manufactures and stores from selling or offering single-use foam items, including "clamshell" containers, cups or plates.


The law does provide an option for non-profits or small businesses making less than $500,000 to apply for an exemption.


A potential ban for the City of Buffalo is still in the discussion stage.


"I want to be sensitive to the business community, but also even more sensitive to our environment," Pridgen said.


Several people turned out to speak during Tuesday's listening session in Common Council chambers.


John Szalasny, who runs the "Bring NYC's Styrofoam Ban to My Hometown!" Facebook page, brought up several environmental and health concerns related to single-use Styrofoam products.


"If you put [Styrofoam] in a landfill, it's not biodegradable," Szalasny said. "One thing that breaks down Styrofoam is UV radiation- and once it's buried, it will never see the light."


Styrofoam is also likely to blow out of garbage cans due to its lightweight nature, he added.


"It's not durable, and it breaks into smaller pieces," he said. "The smaller fragments tend to look like food to a lot of animals."


Several students from East High School in Buffalo also spoke out, voicing concerns about health and environmental factors.


Christine Cassidy, recycling manager for Dart Container, said she spoke on behalf of 40 restaurant owners who were unable to attend the hearing session on Tuesday.


"They oppose the ban- some of them don't even use foam, but they have so many regulations for their restaurants, that they want to make the right choice for them," Cassidy said.


Cassidy said that it's possible to recycle Styrofoam, even material that has been used to hold food or drink.


"There are several places that have wash and dry systems that will take it, wash it, and recycle it, and there are plenty of places in the U.S. that are buying this material," Cassidy said.


She addressed some concerns Salasny expressed, including that Styrofoam contains carcinogens.


Pridgen said that the council will work to get scientific data about Styrofoam before making a decision.


"Even if we don't do a ban, what I'd like to see is food service and restaurants offer people an alternative," he said.

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