Sept 21 - Efforts to Recycle Polystyrene Leave Out Problematic Food Packaging
Flowing the spate of increased negative attention foamed polystyrene has been receiving, at least one California municipality has attempted to include polystyrene transport packaging in their curbside collection program. Alex Breitler of the Stockton Record reports that the cost of recycling polystyreneâ€"pegged by the State of California at over $3000 per ton compared to $90 per ton for glassâ€"makes the economics of recycling this material questionable. In addition, these new operations do not include problematic polystyrene food packaging because of contamination issues. Polystyrene food packaging is one of the most voluminous and dangerous forms of marine debris and its use has been restricted in San Francisco, Oakland, Santa Monica and dozens of other municipalities.
Mark Murray, Executive Director of CAW, explained to the Stockton Record that foamed polystyrene food packaging should be banned and that manufactures should use recycled fiber material to package consumer goods.
CAW and Polystyrene: