HomeMy WebLinkAboutDirect the City Attorney to develop two ordinances for Counc r�lJ✓f,
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CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH
City Council Interoffice Communication
To: Honorable City Council Members
From: Connie Boardman, Mayor
Date: October 11, 2013
Subject: CITY COUNCIL MEMBER ITEM FOR THE OCTOBER 21, 2013,
CITY COUNCIL MEETING— ORDINANCE RESTRICTING USE OF
STYROFOAM PACKAGING
I want to thank the students from Pegasus School for their presentation about the impacts of
Styrofoam trash on our oceans and, more importantly, for once again bringing to our attention
the large amounts of expanded polystyrene (Styrofoam) pieces found during beach cleanups.
Indeed in some areas of the beach, pieces of Styrofoam are the most common type of trash
found on the beach.
Their presentation reminded me that I did want to address the Styrofoam pollution issue, so I
am bringing forward this agenda item to request that the City Council act as over 70 other
California cities have done and restrict the use of Styrofoam by food vendors.
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
About 10 years ago, following the lead of San Clemente, the city of Huntington Beach adopted
an ordinance that greatly reduced and, in most cases, eliminated the use of Styrofoam products
in city facilities and by our concessionaires.
Since then, other local cities such as San Clemente, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and Dana
Point have adopted ordinances that also restrict the use of Styrofoam by restaurants, grocery
stores, and other food vendors.
I have examined the ordinances of a variety of cities and think the ordinance adopted by the city
of San Bruno (similar ordinances were also adopted by other cities) best addresses the issue of
this type of plastic pollution. I have attached the ordinance as part of this agenda item.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
To direct the City Attorney to develop an ordinance restricting the use of Styrofoam packaging
by food vendors in the city of Huntington Beach using the San Bruno ordinance as a model.
CB:cf
Attachment
xc: Fred Wilson, City Manager
Ken Domer, Assistant City Manager
Jennifer McGrath, City Attorney04411,, ll
a 1 � &7y 40/7*
Huntington Beach amending Huntington Beach Municipal Code Chapter 17.44
titled Plumbing Code."
1) Approve Introduction of Ordinance No. 4001, "An Ordinance of The City of
Huntington Beach Amending Chapter 17.46 of the Huntington Beach Municipal
Code titled Uniform Swimming Pool, Spa and Hot Tub Code."
J) Approve Introduction of Ordinance No. 4002, "An Ordinance of the City of
Huntington Beach Amending Huntington Beach Municipal Code Chapter 17.48
titled Electrical Code."
41KK) Approve Introduction of Ordinance No. 4003, AhVIOrdinance of the City of
Huntington Beach Amending Chapter 17.60 titled Solar Energy Code."
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L) Direct that a Public Hearing be set for adoption ofOrdinance Nos. 3993
through 4003 on November 18, 2013. y `v�
Approved 7-0 vv�
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12. Approve for introduction OrdinancevN,o. 3992 and authorizeaexecution of
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A) Approve for introduction Ordinance 3992;v�An Ordinance of the City of
Huntington Beach Amending theANN OXY USA Inc F\ranch'ise to Construct,
Operate, andyMaintain a Pipeline Systemfor the Transportation of Oil'; and,
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B) Approve and authorizev1the Mayor anyd�City Clerk to execute "Amendment
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COUNCILMEMBER ITEMS
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13. Submitted�by�Mayor 13o�ardman - Direct the City Attorney to develop an
ordinance res$ncting theme use of Styrofoam packaging by food vendors in
the City ° y
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Recommended Action:
Direct the City Attorney to develop an 2 ordinances for Council's review
restricting the use of Styrofoam packaging by food vendors in the City of
Huntington Beach using (1) the City of San Bruno ordinance as a medel and(2)
a City with an Ordinance that is less broad as models.
Approved as amended 5-2 (Harper, Carchio No)
-7-
Chapter 10.21 SUSTAINABLE FOOD PACKAGING 9/3/13 1:01 PM
San Orwn
aMunirtipal Cbdta,
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Title l0 Ml1 dPAL SERVICES x"
Chapter 10.21 SUSTAINABLE FOOD PACKAGING
10.21.010 Definitions.
(a) "ASTM specification" means meeting the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
International Standards D6400 or D6868 for biodegradable and compostable plastics, as those standards may be
amended. D6400 is the specification for plastics designed for compostability in municipal or industrial aerobic
composing facilities. D6868 is the specification for aerobic compostability of plastics used as coatings on a
compostable substrate.
(b) "Biodegradable" refers to the ability of a material to decompose into elements normally found in nature
within a reasonably short period of time after disposal.
(c) "City facilities" means any building, structure or vehicle owned, leased, or operated by the city of San
Bruno.
(d) "Compostable" means all materials in the product or package will degrade into, or otherwise become part
of, usable compost (e.g., soil-conditioning material, mulch) in a safe and timely manner. Compostable disposable
food service ware includes products made of plant materials and ASTM-Specification Bio-Plastics (plastic-like
products) that are clearly labeled, preferably with a color symbol, such that any customer or processor can easily
distinguish the ASTM Specification compostable plastic from non-ASTM Specification compostable plastic.
(e) "Disposable food service ware" means single or nondurable use disposable products used by food vendors
in the restaurant or food serving industry for serving or transporting prepared, ready-to-consume food or beverages.
This includes, but is not limited to, plates, cups, bowls, utensils, cartons, trays, and hinged or lidded containers for
takeout foods and/or leftovers from partially consumed meals prepared at food vendors and straws, cup lids, and
utensils but does not include single-use disposable packaging for unprepared foods.
(f) "Expanded polystyrene" (EPS) means polystyrene that has been expanded or"blown" using a gaseous
blowing agent into a solid foam.
(g) "Food vendor" means any establishment, located or providing food within the city of San Bruno, which
provides prepared food for public consumption on or off its premises and includes without limitation any sales
outlet, store, shop, restaurant, grocery store, supermarket, vehicle or other places of business operating primarily to
sell or convey foods or beverages directly to the ultimate consumer, which foods or beverages are predominantly
contained, wrapped or held in or on packaging, including both restaurants and retail food vendors.
(h) "Polystyrene" means and includes blown polystyrene and expanded and extruded foams (sometimes
referred to as "Styrofoam®," a Dow Chemical Co. trademarked form of expanded polystyrene (EPS),processed by
any number of techniques including, but not limited to, fusion of polymer spheres, injection molding, foam
molding, and extrusion-blow molding. The term "polystyrene" or"oriented polystyrene" also means clear or solid
polystyrene that is generally used to make clear clamshell containers, clear or colored straws, lids and utensils and
which may have the recycling symbol#6.
(1) "Prepared food"means food or beverages, which are served, packaged, cooked, chopped, sliced, mixed,
brewed, frozen, squeezed or otherwise prepared for consumption on the food vendor's premises or within the city.
Prepared food
may be eaten either on or off the premises, also known as "takeout food." This does not include any raw uncooked
http://gcode.us/codes/sanbruno/view.php?topic=l0-10_21&showAll=1&frames=on Page 1 of 3
Chapter 10.21 SUSTAINABLE FOOD PACKAGING 9/3/13 1:01 PM
meat, fish or eggs unless provided for consumption without any further food preparation.
0) "Recyclable" means material that can be sorted, cleansed and reconstituted using San Bruno's available
recycling collection programs for the purpose of using the altered form in the manufacture of new products.
Recycling does not include burning, incinerating, converting, or otherwise thermally destroying solid waste.
Recyclable plastics comprise those plastics with the recycling symbols #1 through #5 including polyethylene
terephthalate (PET or PETE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), and
polypropylene (PP).
(k) "Restaurant" means any establishment located within the city that sells prepared food for consumption on,
near, or off its premises by customers. For the purposes of this chapter the term includes a restaurant operating from
a temporary facility, cart, vehicle or mobile unit.
(1) "Reusable" means all materials in the product or package will be used more than once in its same form by
the customer,retail food vendor or other reuse programs. Reusable food service ware includes: food or beverage
containers, packages or trays, such as, but not limited to, soft drink bottles and milk containers that are designed to
be returned to the distributor and customer provided take-out containers. Also includes durable containers, packages
or trays used on-premises or returnable containers brought back to the food vendor. (Ord. 1770 § 2, 2009)
10.21.020 Prohibited use of disposable food service ware—Required biodegradable,compostable, reusable
or recyclable food service ware.
(a) Effective April 1, 2010, food vendors using disposable food service ware are prohibited from dispensing
prepared food to customers in disposable food service ware made from polystyrene.
(b) All food vendors using any disposable food service ware shall use biodegradable, compostable, reusable or
recyclable food service ware in conformance with the schedule set forth in Section 10.21.020(a). Food vendors may
price products or services to customers in a manner that covers the cost differential.
(c) All city departments and agencies shall not purchase or acquire disposable food service ware made from
polystyrene for use at city facilities and purchase and acquire only biodegradable, compostable, reusable or
recyclable food service ware.
(d) After exhausting any existing stock as of the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter, all city
facilities, city managed concessions, and city sponsored events shall use biodegradable, compostable, reusable or
recyclable food service ware and shall not use polystyrene unless it can be shown there is not an alternative for a
specific application. (Ord. 1770 § 2, 2009)
10.21.030 Exemptions.
(a) Prepared foods prepared or packaged outside the city are exempt from the provisions of this chapter.
Purveyors of food prepared or packaged outside the city are encouraged to follow the provisions of this chapter.
(b) A food vendor will be exempted from the requirements of this chapter for specific items or types of food
service ware if the city manager or designee finds that the requirements of this chapter would cause undue hardship.
An"undue hardship" shall be found in:
(1) Situations unique to the food vendor where a suitable, biodegradable, compostable, reusable or recyclable
alternative does not exist for a specific application; and/or
(2) Situations where no reasonably feasible available alternative exists to a specific and necessary container
prohibited by this section.
(c) Any food vendor may seek an exemption from the requirements of this chapter by filing a request in
http://gcode.us/codes/sanbruno/view.php?topic=10-10_21&showAII=1&frames=on Page 2 of 3
Chapter 10.21 SUSTAINABLE FOOD PACKAGING 9/3/13 1:01 PM
writing with the city manager. A written exemption request shall include all information
necessary for the city manager to make a decision, including, but not limited to, documentation that factually
supports the claimed exemption. The city manager may require the applicant to provide additional information to
permit him or her to make a determination regarding the exemption application. The city manager or designee may
waive any specific requirement of this chapter for a period of not more than one year if the food vendor seeking the
exemption has demonstrated that strict application of the specific requirement would cause undue hardship.
Exemption decisions are effective immediately and.final and are not subject to appeal. A food vendor granted an
exemption by the city must re-apply prior to the expiration of the one year exemption period and demonstrate
continued undue hardship, the continued absence of a suitable biodegradable, compostable, reusable or recyclable
alternative, if it wishes to have the exemption extended. Extensions may be granted for intervals not to exceed one
year.
(d) Polystyrene coolers and ice chests intended for reuse are exempt from the provisions of this chapter. (Ord.
1770 § 2, 2009)
10.21.040 Enforcement and notice of violations.
(a) The city manager or designee will have primary responsibility for enforcement of this chapter. The city
manager or designee is authorized to promulgate regulations and to take any and all other actions reasonable and
necessary to enforce this chapter, including, but not limited to, entering the premises of any food vendor to verify
compliance. The city manager or designee is authorized to take any and all actions reasonable and necessary to
further the purposes of this chapter or to obtain compliance with this chapter.
(b) Any person violating or failing to comply with any of the requirements of this chapter or of any regulation
of administrative procedure authorized by it shall be guilty of an infraction and administrative citations shall be
issued for violations in accordance with the following schedule:
(1) For the first violation, the city manager or designee, upon determination that a violation of this chapter has
occurred, shall issue a written warning to the food provider that specifies the violations and the appropriate
penalties in the event of future violations.
(2) A fine not exceeding one hundred dollars for the first violation of this chapter following the issuance of a
warning notice.
(3) A fine not exceeding two hundred dollars for the second violation of this chapter within one year;
(4) A fine not exceeding five hundred dollars for the third and any subsequent violation of this chapter within
one year;
(5) Fines are cumulative and each day that violation occurs shall constitute a separate violation.
(c) Administrative citations and any appeals therefrom shall be issued in the manner set forth in Sections
5.08.010 through 5.08.110 inclusive of the San Bruno Municipal Code.
(d) The remedies and penalties provided in this section are cumulative and not exclusive of one another. The
city may seek any legal, injunctive, or other equitable relief to enforce this chapter and any regulation or
administrative procedure authorized by it. (Ord. 1770 § 2, 2009)
http://gcode.us/codes/sanbruno/view.php?topic=l0-10_21&showAll=1&frames=on Page 3 of 3
COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVED
REGARDING AGENDA ITEM
Esparza, Patty
From: Surf City Pipeline [noreply@user.govoutreach.com]
Sent: Tuesday, October 15, 2013 7:52 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL; Agenda Alerts
Subject: Surf City Pipeline: Comment on an Agenda Item (notification)
Request# 16085 from the Government Outreach System has been assigned to Agenda Alerts.
Request type: Question
Request area: City Council - Agenda& Public Hearing Comments
Citizen name: Jessica Bechtold
Description: From: Jessica Bechtold [mailto.jess.bechtold@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, October 14, 2013 10:15 PM
To: Boardman, Connie; Hardy, Jill; Harper, Matthew;Katapodis, Jim;
joeesha@yahoo.com; Shaw, Joe; Sullivan, Dave; Carchio, Joe
Cc: Dombo, Johanna; Fikes, Cathy
Subject: Letter regarding Polystyrene from HB resident
Dear Distinguished Council Members,
Attached is a letter regarding the use of polystyrene in Huntington Beach. I hope you are
able to read and discuss my thoughts and concerns with your fellow council members
and that we can move to a cleaner, healthier city by banning the use of polystyrene.
Thank you very much for taking the time to consider my thoughts.
Sincerest Regards,
Jessica Bechtold
Expected Close Date: 10/16/2013
Click here to access the request
Note: This message is for notification purposes only. Please do not reply to this email. Email replies are not
monitored and will be ignored.
i
Jessica Bechtold
7624 Sandstone Cir. #101
Huntington Beach CA 92648
Huntington Beach City Council
Mayor Connie Boardman
Council Member Joe Carchio
Council Member Jill Hardy
Council Member Matthew Harper
Council Member Jim Katapodis
Council Member Joe Shaw
Council Member Dave Sullivan
October 10, 2013
Dear Huntington Beach Council Members
I was excited to hear that Huntington Beach City Council was addressing the publics'
concerns regarding the use of polystyrene, commonly known as Styrofoam, in our city. I am
a long-time resident of Huntington Beach, and even longer beach-goer, and in my time
living here, I have noticed a drastic increase in debris throughout the city and beaches,
especially polystyrene.There are numerous, cost effective alternatives to polystyrene, so
why not protect our beautiful beaches by eliminating this earth damaging, environmentally
destructive product from our city?
After the US Open, I picked up trash along Atlanta, from Huntington St. to 1st. I filled a 13-
gallon trash bag less than halfway between the two streets on only one side of Atlanta.
Almost all of that trash was to-go containers: Styrofoam cups, straws, lids, etc. I thought to
myself,well this is just because of the Open; this isn't normal. But I was wrong. Everyday
since, I have seen the same amount of garbage and mostly used to-go containers, cups,
straws, etc. This is not a temporary issue caused once by a surge in visitors to our town;
this is a chronic problem that only we have the power to change.
As a member of Surfrider, I see firsthand the negative impact polystyrene has on our
beaches. Just before attending my first beach cleanup, I had finished reading Garbology and
learned how plastic and polystyrene don't biodegrade, but instead break-up into smaller
particulates. These tiny pieces litter our beaches, get into our oceans, pollute our natural
resources like fish, and ultimately, all the fish-eaters out there,we end up eating all that
garbage. Because of this, at my first beach cleanup I focused on these little pieces of
polystyrene.What I saw sickened me. Reading about this issue is one thing,but digging
through the sand and filling up a bucket's worth of pieces brings this epidemic into
perspective; in fact, since that first cleanup, I bought a sifter because I grew tired of
crawling on my hands and knees for so many hours picking out these tiny pieces of to-go
containers.
I will no longer buy take-out at the numerous establishments along Main St. or those that
line the boardwalk that use polystyrene. If these businesses aren't willing to protect the
thing that attracts their customers in the first place, I don't want to support those
companies. There are too many cost-effective alternatives out there, and I'm not willing to
compromise our beaches,the reason we live in a coastal community, for the pennies that
companies are not willing to invest in our environment. This is my home, the place I have
gone to since I was a child, and the place I hope to take my children to.And when my kids
build sandcastles and bury themselves in the sand, I want to know that it is in fact sand
they are covering themselves in.
Sincerest Regards,
Jessica Bechtold
Esparza, Patty
From: Surf City Pipeline [noreply@user.govoutreach.com]
Sent: Friday, October 18, 2013 8:45 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL; Agenda Alerts
Subject: Surf City Pipeline: Comment on an Agenda Item (notification)
Request# 16125 from the Government Outreach System has been assigned to Agenda Alerts.
Request type: Comment
Request area: City Council - Agenda& Public Hearing Comments
Citizen name: Johanna Hessing
Description: From: Johanna Hessing [mailto:cherubim 117@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, October 17, 2013 9:08 PM
To: CITY COUNCIL SUPPLEMENTAL
Subject: A Letter COMMUNICATION
October 17, 2013
Huntington Beach City Council mvetiflg gate: Q /
2000 Main Street
Huntington Beach CA 92648 APMk I to, Z
Dear esteemed City Council members,
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter and for considering to ban polystyrene in
our beautiful city. Growing up, the beach was an intricate part of my life and remains a
fascination, and favored location for weekend get-a-ways and family outings. It Is
because of this, and due to my overall environmental concerns that I address you today.
There is little else on God's green earth taking more of a toll due to human ignorance
and indifference than our oceans. I find the current conditions and future projections
shocking, and despicable. It is not only ourselves who will suffer the consequences, (and
be assured, we will) but also every unfortunate creature who encounters our plastic
waste in their environment.
"Polystyrene foam is often dumped into the environment as litter. This material is
notorious for breaking up into pieces that choke animals and clog their digestive
systems." (Green Restaurant Association) I find It greatly disturbing to discover dead
birds upon the beach, among the litter. In a place meant for family and bright summer
days there should not be animals massacred by what these families leave behind, or by
what is washed down to the shore by the rain.
According to a 1986 EPA report on solid waste, the polystyrene manufacturing process
was recorded as the "5th largest creator of hazardous waste." Since then the production
and uses for polystyrene in our day to day lives has drastically increased. The National
Bureau of Standards Center for Fire Research discovered "57 chemical byproducts
released during the combustion of polystyrene foam." Although the damage does not
stop after manufacture. "Toxic chemicals leach out of these products into the food that
they contain(especially when heated in a microwave). These chemicals threaten human
health and reproductive systems." (Green Restaurant Association) I know of very few
people who would not think twice about placing a to-go-box in the microwave, or about
1
sipping from a Starbucks' cup's polystyrene lid.
People do not realise how easily their Styrofoam cups blow away, or how quickly a
seagull can steal away food packaging. Albeit, as of now there is before you the
opportunity to significantly cut back on the waste floating in our oceans, the bits of
polystyrene mixed in among the sand, the spilled nurdles, contaminated, and in our food
supply. By banning polystyrene today, we take the first steps toward a more green, safe,
and healthy future. For our children, for the animals, for our oceans, and for our world.
Thank you for your time,
Sincerely,
Johanna Rose Hessing
Expected Close Date: 10/19/2013
Click here to access the request
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monitored.and will.be ignored:
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Esparza, Patty
From: Surf City Pipeline [noreply@user.govoutreach.com]
Sent: Friday, October 18, 2013 8:47 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL; Agenda Alerts
Subject: Surf City Pipeline: Comment on an Agenda Item (notification)
Request# 16126 from the Government Outreach System has been assigned to Agenda Alerts.
Request type: Question
Request area: City Council - Agenda& Public Hearing Comments
Citizen name: Karina Santoyo
Description: October 17, 2013
Huntington Beach City Council City Hall 2000 Main St. Huntington Beach CA 92648
Dear Distinguish City Council Members,
I am writing to you as a concerned citizen of our community over the matter of
polystyrene more commonly known as Styrofoam.This material is a hazardous waste
that is polluting our environment as well as our health. For this reason I am requesting
the elimination of polystyrene in the City of Huntington Beach.
My main concern about polystyrene is its effects on the human health. The main use of
polystyrene is for the purpose of holding our food, since it's such a great insulator. The
problem with this is that the heat of our food releases toxic chemicals that contaminate
the food. The indigestion of these chemicals are very dangerous as they are classified as
human carcinogen by the EPA and the International Agency For Research on Cancer.
Other effects of chronic exposure to polystyrene are depression, headache, fatigue, and
weakness which are all part of the central nervous system. This material is also not
biodegradable meaning that it cannot be broken down, into its basic compounds by
micro-organisms and other living things. Polystyrene is often littered in the streets as
well as the ocean where this material breaks down to pieces that choke animals and clog
their digestive systems while contaminating the water leading to the destruction of
marine.ecosystems.
The elimination of polystyrene is a necessary action the city of Huntington Beach has to
take to ensure the safety of the community. Other cities in Orange County have already
eliminated polystyrene from their communities. There is nothing to lose as there are
plenty of other options and resources that can substitute polystyrene. The safety of our
love ones is at stake and so is our environment. Protecting them should always be the top
priority. I thank you, for taking the time to considerate this very important issue.
Sincerest Regards,
Karina Celeste Santoyo SUPPLEMENTAL
Expected Close Date: 10/19/2013 COMMUNICATION
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monitored and will be ignored. Agenda Item No.�.3
i
Esparza, Patty
From: Surf City Pipeline [noreply@user.govoutreach.com]
Sent: Friday, October 18, 2013 9:16 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL; Agenda Alerts
Subject: Surf City Pipeline: Comment on an Agenda Item (notification)
Request# 16128 from the Government Outreach System has been assigned to Agenda Alerts.
Request type: Comment SUPPLEMENTAL
Request area: City Council - Agenda& Public Hearing Comments COMMUNICATION
Citizen name: Aline Edizian
Description: Huntington Beach City Council
2000 Main St. lu4eetirg Date: j�L'i
Huntington Beach, Ca 92648 Agee l�J Item No. /�
October 17, 2013
Dear Distinguished Council Members,
As a concerned citizen that loves Huntington Beach because of the beautiful landscape
and all it has to offer, I
would like you to consider banning polystyrene. All styrofoam products contain
polystyrene which affect the
citizens of Huntington Beach health wise, as well as the environment and the oceans
animals. Polystyrene is a
lightweight plastic material that is non-biodegradable and non-recyclable unless the
styrofoam product never
contained food or liquid in it. Therefore, most of it isn't recycled and is in our local land
fills, side streets, and
oceans. Because of the beautiful beaches and landscape, the increased visitors and large
amount of citizens
residing in this city could make a huge difference if polystyrene was banned.
Styrofoam products which contain polystyrene affect the health of you, me, and
everyone around us. According
the EPA studies, in the 1980's "100% of Americans have Styrene in their bodies. Since
Styrene is used in all
kinds of applications, including injecting it directly into foods to preserve their shelf life,
we are all exposed
without our knowledge". Styrene is the chemical in polystyrene which is most
commonly exposed in one's
nervous system. Therefore leading people to obtain effects such as feeling drunk, the
inability to concentrate,
tiredness,changes in color vision, etc. Most importantly, according to the Department of
Health and Human
Services (DHHS),National Toxicology Program(NTP) "styrene is a'reasonably
anticipated to be a human
carcinogen' in the Report on Carcinogens, Twelfth Edition, released on June 10, 2011".
Since polystyrene is mainly used by restaurant businesses, this is where the problem
needs to be addressed. If
the city of Huntington Beached banned the use of polystyrene, restaurants would have to
find alternative
i
products to use. According to the different prices shown at Restaurant Depot, a local
restaurant owner supply
shop in Costa Mesa, a case of 1000 21 ounce paper cups cost $53.99 while a case of
1000 21 ounce styrofoam
cups cost $43.98 per case. The actual price different for one paper cup is 5.399 cents
while the price of
styrofoam cup is 4.398. Therefore, the price difference between one cup made of paper
rather than a styrofoam
cup that contains polystyrene is 1 cent. Although this may seem like a lot for restaurant
owners, this one cent
difference could be taken care of by increasing the price of the fountain drink by one
cent: As a citizen that
visits fast food restaurants often, I personally wouldn't notice if the price of my drink
was increased by one cent;
if I did, I•wouldn't complain if I knew that the price was increased for the benefit of my
health since the paper
cup wouldn't contain polystyrene.
The banning of polystyrene in the city of Huntington Beach would positively affect
people's health along with
the oceans, sea animals, and the city's landscape. The EPA studies found that "68% of
trash on urban streets
comes from take-out food packaging. Foam containers are light-weight and blow away
before street sweepers
and litter pickers can get to them". The beauty of Huntington Beach is being ruined by
the use of polystyrene
products at local restaurants. The cost difference for restaurants wont be drastic to use
alternative products other
than those that contain polystyrene. If customers are aware that the one cent raise for
drinks or food plates is
because it benefits our health and the environment, they will not mind the increased
price. I hope you take this
into great consideration and I thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Aline Ekizian
Expected Close Date: 10/19/2013
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2
Esparza, Patty
From: Surf City Pipeline[noreply@user.govoutreach.com]
Sent: Friday, October 18, 2013 11:25 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL; Agenda Alerts
Subject: Surf City Pipeline: Comment on an Agenda Item (notification)
Request# 16130 from the Government Outreach System has been assigned to Agenda Alerts.
Request type: Comment
Request area: City Council - Agenda&Public Hearing Comments
Citizen name: Daniel Knight SUPPLEMENTAL
Description: Huntington Beach City Council COMMUNICATION
2000 Main Street
Huntington Beach CA 92648
Meeting Date: ILI
October 15 2013
Agenda Item No.
Dear Esteemed Council Members,
I am writing to you as a concerned citizen regarding the detrimental effects polystyrene
products have on people's health and the environment. Polystyrene products range from
to-go containers, straws, disposable drinks cups, and many other products that come into
contact with our food and beverages and then with us. Therefore, I believe it is crucial
that the City of Huntington Beach bans the use of polystyrene products to protect its
citizens and the beautiful city.
Firstly, polystyrene has been proven to be harmful to humans when mixed with hot and
acidic food and beverages. The Future Center Trust explains, "Polystyrene contains the
toxic substances Styrene and Benzene, suspected carcinogens and neurotoxins that are
hazardous to humans. Hot foods and liquids actually start a partial breakdown of the
Styrofoam, causing some toxins to be absorbed into our bloodstream and tissue." This
conveys that polystyrene carcinogens are absorbed by hot and acidic foods and liquids
and then transferred into a human's bloodstream. With such solid proof that polystyrene
is harmful to our bodies, it should seem like a clear choice to ban the products in order to
provide a safe environment for Huntington Beach residents and visitors to enjoy.
Secondly, not only is polystyrene dangerous for our bodies, it is also harmful to the
environment. The Clean Water Foundation for California maintains, "Expanded
polystyrene foam is pervasive in the marine environment..Like most plastics,
polystyrene is lightweight and floats. When littered, it is carried from streets and through
storm drains out to the ocean." Thus, considering that Huntington Beach is known for its
exquisite scenery and luscious beaches, it is vital that we maintain the beaches that
attract so many tourists and excite residents. Otherwise, with the increasing amount of
polystyrene products, which take up to 500 years to decompose,the city of Huntington
Beach will be faced with dirty beaches and unattractive scenery. This in turn would
dramatically decrease tourism in the city.
Finally, as a concerned citizen, I would like to stress again the importance of banning
i
polystyrene in the city of Huntington Beach in order to protect the people from harmful
carcinogens leaked into food and beverages, and save the environment from the
detrimental effects polystyrene has on the beautiful landscaping of Huntington Beach.
Yours Sincerely,
Daniel Knight
Works Cited
"Facts About Styrofoam litter." Clean Water Action. N.p.. Web. 15 Oct 2013.
"The Dangers of Polystyrene." Business Barbados. N.p., 06 Jul 2010. Web.
Expected Close Wte: 10/19/2013
Click here to access the request
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2
Huntington Beach City Council
City Hall
2000 Main St.
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
October 17, 2013
Dear City Council Member,
I am writing as a concerned citizen regarding the use of polystyrene products and its outrageous
effects on the environment and marine wildlife. Polystyrene is found in food packages, beverage
cups, and disposable tableware. I believe all of these products should be banned due to their
effects on human health and wildlife. Polystyrene has already been banned in Newport Beach,
Laguna Beach, Calabasas, Malibu and many other cities throughout California.
Anything that contains polystyrene is known as photodegradable and cannot break down fully.
Instead, they break down into smaller and smaller pieces and marine animals easily mistake
polystyrene for food. Animals are not able to digest polystyrene and eventually these particles
can fill up their stomachs and cause the animals to starve to death. Much of all of this
polystyrene in the ocean is from fast food products such as cups or trays.
Polystyrene is also getting into our systems whenever we drink out of Styrofoam cups or eat off
of disposable Styrofoam plates. A neurotoxin, Styrene, can migrate from polystyrene containers
into food and beverages when heated, or in contact with fatty or acidic foods. This neurotoxin
leads to increased risks of cancer and has been found to slow down reaction times, effect balance
and spatial orientation, and cause concentration problems.
Due to the amount of trash that is found in beaches or the ocean, cities and regions have spent
millions and billions of dollars on trash clean ups. According to Clean Water Action, Styrofoam
was found as the second most abundant form of beach debris in Orange County. Caltrans spend
approximately$60 million a year to remove litter and debris from roadsides and highways.
Before Los Angeles agreed to ban polystyrene they would collect over 4,000 tons of trash
annually and spend over four million dollars to clean 31 miles of beaches. One year after San
Francisco implemented the prohibition of the use of Styrofoam food ware, San Francisco's litter
audit showed a 36% decrease in Styrofoam litter. Therefore, decreasing the cost of beach clean
and town clean ups considerably.
As a concerned citizen for the environment, wildlife, and human health I believe it is within our
best interest to ban the use of polystyrene. It is money saved on beach clean ups that can be used
on other causes. Thank you for taking the time to read my letter and giving me the opportunity
to share information with you.
Sincerely, SUPPLEMENTAL
COMMUNICATION
Luke Krut Meeting Date: D 3
Agenda Item No. /3
October 17, 2013
Huntington Beach City Counsel
City Hall
2000 Main Street
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Dear Distinguished City Council Members,
I am a spearfisherman and free diver and have been diving around Orange County for a few
years. I have become concerned with the amount of trash at our beaches and the amount of
pollution in the ocean. I think the city should ban the use of polystyrene. There are many safer
alternatives for polystyrene products. Polystyrene is harming the people who use it and
polluting the dear oceans we love.
The plastic, Polystyrene, takes hundreds of years to break down so when it enters our ocean, it
gets stuck and stays there for years. This is causing our oceans and beaches to fill up with
trash that doesn't biodegrade,just break into smaller pieces. This means that the amount of
polystyrene waste in the ocean is increasing with no way to get it out. Once the polystyrene
reaches the deep ocean, it gets mistook for food and ingested by the marine life. This is
causing the deaths of many species of marine life, from birds to fish, to whales. Also, most
polystyrene cannot be recycled and sits in dumps for thousands of years.. Of the 377,579 tons
of polystyrene produced in California, 154,808 tons are for food service packaging and go
straight to the landfill. There is only a slight price difference in price for alternatives. The
average difference in cups is only one cent more for the biodegradable alternative. Polystyrene
can also be hazardous to one's health. Foods or drinks that are acidic, contain alcohol or
vitamin a and even yogurt and milk have been known to cause polystyrene to leech chemicals
into whatever is inside.
Polystyrene needs to be banned in the city of Huntington Beach. It is hazardous to the people
and destroying our environment. This plastic cannot keep destroying our beautiful beaches.
Polystyrene does not belong in our beautiful city. Thank you for taking the time to read my
letter and I hope you consider what I have said.
Sincerely,
SUPPLEMENTAL
Ryan Murphy COMMUNICATION
Meeting Lt /,I,o/-3
Agenda Item No._.
The City of Huntington Beach
2000 Main Street
Huntington Beach
17 October 2013
Dear distinguished Council Members,
I am a concerned citizen wishing to express my views against the use of
Polystyrene in to-go products such as Styrofoam containers, straws, coffee cup lids, and
disposable silverware amongst other items. It is important that the City of Huntington
Beach bans the use of Polystyrene in its city due to the outcome it has on the beautiful
environment of our hometown and on the people that live here.
The Future Centre Trust stated, "Polystyrene food containers leach the toxin
Styrene when they come into contact with warm food or drink, alcohol, oils and acidic
foods causing human contamination and pose a health risk to people. Avoid drinking tea
with lemon, coffee with dairy cream, fruit juices, alcoholic beverages and wine from
Styrofoam cups. Red wine will instantly dissolve the Styrene monomer. Do not eat oily
foods from Styrofoam containers." This exemplifies that polystyrene has negative effects
on the people that live in Huntington Beach because when in contact with hot and acidic
foods, polystyrene releases toxins. It is crucial that polystyrene is banned in Huntington
Beach in order to protect the citizens from harm.
Not only does polystyrene harm the people of Huntington Beach, but also The
Future Centre Trust continues, "The product does not biodegrade. It crumbles into
fragments that have no expiration date", which has a negative affect on the City of
Huntington Beach. The people of Huntington Beach expect the city to be consistently
beautiful, however if this damaging garbage begins to destroy the city's beauty, such as
the beaches and scenery, it will have negative effects on the community.
In order to keep the citizens of Huntington Beach safe from harmful toxins
released from polystyrene based products as well as protecting the environment of our
city; it is dire that the City of Huntington Beach bans polystyrene products.
Thank you for taking the time to consider my request,
Yours sincerely,
SUPPLEMENTAL
COMMUNICATION
N
-Torie Litman
Meeting Date: �2
Agenda Item No.
Marcus DeSilva
Surfrider Huntington Beach Intern
26075 Las Flores Unit C
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
Huntington Beach City Council SUPPLEMENTAL
City Hall COMMUNICATION
2000 Main Street Meeting Date: /,41 AM
Huntington Beach, CA 92648 Agenda Item No.
October 17, 2013
Dear Esteemed City Council Members,
Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. As a concerned citizen I am urging you to ban
polystyrene plastics in the great beach community of Huntington Beach. Specifically, the
Styrofoam cups that I see overflowing from garbage cans up and down Main Street as well as the
Styrofoam food containers that litter the otherwise beautiful beaches. This city offers great beach
facilities as well as leisure and entertainment destinations that few other cities possess. My
concern is that these pestilent eyesores are ruining the pristine beauty that is Huntington Beach.
This can potentially have a negative impact on tourism which this city relies on for revenue.
Many cities in Southern California have already passed legislation to ban this carcinogenic
substance. These cities include Laguna Beach, Malibu, Santa Monica,Newport Beach, and
countless others that have taken proactive measures to protect the environment. My point is that
Huntington Beach would not be alone should it decide to ban Styrofoam products. It would be
joining the many cities and counties around the country that are acknowledging that this problem
can no longer be ignored. The major problems that Styrofoam presents outweigh its limited
usefulness. For instance, polystyrene takes an average of five hundred years to decompose. Much
of the disposable packaging we eat from today will still be around five hundred years from now.
Something that will be used for a few minutes will linger in our landfills for hundreds of years.
The food packaging industry would have you believe that Styrofoam is safe to store and
consume food from. However, research conducted by the Future Centre Trust in July of 2010 has
yielded some alarming results. According to their findings, polystyrene food containers leach the
toxin Styrene when they come into contact with warm food or drink, alcohol, oils and acidic
foods causing human contamination and pose a health risk to people. Most interesting is the
degradation of food that contains vitamin A (beta-carotene). In packaged foods with the addition
of heat (such as microwave temperatures), vitamin A will decompose and produce m-xylene,
toluene, and 2.6-dimethylnaphthalene. Toluene will aggressively dissolve polystyrene. This
renders polystyrene as an unsuitable package for containing or micro waving food products.
Styrofoam has been proven to be unsustainable and harmful to the health of human beings and
should be banned from use in the city of Huntington Beach. I hope that the honorable members
of the Huntington Beach City Council will consider the un-biased and objective facts that I have
presented to make an informed decision. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy
schedule to consider this proposal.
Best Regards,
Marcus DeSilva
`�yyJ�i�57'41F.
! INS�.�.
Qv;otr
SURFR ER
FOUNDATION
CSU Long Beach Club
To the Huntington Beach City Council:
As a member of the CSULB Surfrider Foundation Club I strongly urge you to
develop an ordinance to ban polystyrene(Styrofoam) from being used by all food vendors
within the city. Many of our members reside in Huntington Beach and the majority visit the city
frequently to surf and enjoy the beach, so it is very important to us to help keep it and all other
beaches clean.
Banning polystyrene is a crucial factor in achieving this goal. We have participated in
several beach cleanups in both Huntington Beach and Long Beach and always find that
polystyrene foam is one of the most, if not the most, abundant type of waste we collect. This is
likely due to the fact that it is very lightweight and therefore easily picked up by wind or water
runoff, and that it readily breaks down into many small pieces. This fact also makes it a great
threat to marine life as the small pieces can be accidentally ingested by birds and fish that either
mistake it for food or swallow it along with the real food that they eat. By banning this type of
plastic we can help eliminate it from ever entering our oceans.
Another negative aspect of polystyrene is the way it's manufactured. According to a
1986 EPA study, "the polystyrene manufacturing process is the fifth largest contributor to
hazardous waste", not to mention the air pollution caused by producing it. Its primary
ingredient, styrene, has been listed as a possible human carcinogen by the International Agency
for Research on Cancer and could leach into food in small amounts, especially after being in the
microwave. Because polystyrene is a petroleum based product it also has a greater carbon
footprint than its alternatives. These alternatives include recycled paperboard and plant-based
plastics, which are both sustainably produced and biodegradable.
By banning polystyrene you can show that your city is serious about protecting the
environment and its beaches, and you can set an example for cities like Long Beach to create
their own similar ordinances. Please side with the environment,the ocean, and the surfers
and beach-goers who help make Huntington Beach the great city that it is. Please ban
polystyrene foam.
Thank you very much.
Sincerely, SUPPLEMENTAL
COMMUNICATION
Kelci Boynton
Meeting We:
CSULB Surfrider Foundation Club member
Agenda Item No._._�
Tahlia Nie
Surfrider Huntington beach Intern
24691 Kim Circle
Laguna Hills, CA 92653
October 20t", 2013 SUPPLEMENTAL
COMMUNICATION
Huntington Beach City Council
2 Meeting Date:
000 Main St.
Huntington Beach, CA 92648 Agenda item N0, �3
Dear Distinguished Council Members,
First off, I would like to thank you for considering a vote to ban expanded polystyrene on Monday, the
21", in our beautiful city of Huntington Beach.As a local college student and longtime beach goer, I have
recently read the book Garbology which has opened my eyes to the current environmental issues at hand.
Instead of focusing on the shocking facts surrounding polystyrene products, such as the many carcinogens
and neurotoxins, which have devastating effects towards all living organisms. I would like to redirect
your attention to a more capitalistic solution to the polystyrene predicament. Which in turn will benefit to
the conservation of Huntington Beach for our future generations.
Expanded polystyrene, along with any other form of styrene,virtually never goes away; a bottle of water
you drink today will remain on this planet for over 50 of your own lifetimes. The phrase"out of sight, out
of mind" does not work in this case. CalTrans spends approximately$60million a year to remove litter
and debris from our roads and highways, our neighboring city of Los Angeles uses$18million. Once that
waste is collected where does it go? Straight to our landfills. But wait,within a few weeks Puente Hills
will be filled to the brim with trash. Where does it go from there?Further away. Out of sight,out of mind.
The further away the more expensive it will be to transport the waste, skyrocketing the price of waste
management. Pretty soon we will be buried in our own filth, unable to hide it from our sight.
Yes,overtime polystyrene products"break down"but they break down into smaller particulates that
leach straight into the ground and eventually our oceans. According to the 2008 Gordon Environmental
Consulting and Ocean Protection Council, they advocated to"Prohibit single-use products that pose
significant ocean litter impacts where a feasible less damaging alternative is available." Why go through
all the labor and money to hide polystyrene when you can get rid of it all together? To spend a few more
cents for biodegradable alternatives to polystyrene, will not only save tax payers money(or at least put it
to better use somewhere else)but it will also preserve our pristine beach environment and contribute to
the reinvention of our waste management for healthier generations to come.
Lastly, I would like to thank you for your time. With this controversial task at hand you have so diligently
read the personal sentiments of concerned citizens, such as myself, I would hope you keep this point in
mind when it is time to vote.
Best Regards,
Tahlia Nie
tG'`
1SURFROER
FOUNDATION
CSu long Beach Club
To the Huntington Beach City Council:
As a lifelong resident of Huntington Beach, an avid surfer, and a member of the
CSULB Surfrider Foundation Club I strongly urge you to develop an ordinance to ban
polystyrene (Styrofoam) from being used by all food vendors within the city. Many of our
members reside in Huntington Beach and the majority visit the city frequently to surf and enjoy
the beach, so it is very important to us to help keep it and all other beaches clean.
Banning polystyrene is a crucial factor in achieving this goal. We have participated in
several beach cleanups in both Huntington Beach and Long Beach and always find that
polystyrene foam is one of the most, if not the most, abundant type of waste we collect. This is
likely due to the fact that it is very lightweight and therefore easily picked up by wind or water
runoff, and that it readily breaks down into many small pieces. This fact also makes it a great
threat to marine life as the small pieces can be accidentally ingested by birds and fish that either
mistake it for food or swallow it along with the real food that they eat. By banning this type of
plastic we can help eliminate it from ever entering our oceans.
Another negative aspect of polystyrene is the way it's manufactured. According to a
1986 EPA study, "the polystyrene manufacturing process is the fifth largest contributor to
hazardous waste", not to mention the air pollution caused by producing it. Its primary
ingredient, styrene, has been listed as a possible human carcinogen by the International Agency
for Research on Cancer and could leach into food in small amounts, especially after being in the
microwave. Because polystyrene is petroleum based it also has a greater carbon footprint than
its alternatives. These alternatives include recycled paperboard and plant-based plastics, which
are both sustainably produced and biodegradable.
By banning polystyrene you can show that your city is serious about protecting the
environment and its beaches, and you can set an example for cities like Long Beach to create
their own similar ordinances. Please side with the environment, the ocean, and the surfers
and beach-goers who help make Huntington Beach the great city that it is. Please ban
polystyrene foam.
Thank you very much. SUPPLEMENTAL
Sincerely, COMMUNICATION
Matthew Cole
Meting Date: I
Q dO 13
CSULB Surfrider Foundation Club member
Agenda Item No.—
, f3
Huntington Beach City Council
City Hall SUPPLEMENTAL
2000 Main St. COMMUNICATION
Huntington Beach CA 92648
Mating Date;
October 17, 2013 Agenda Item NO.
Dear City Council Members,
I am a student in the area concerned about the issue of polystyrene. The ban on
polystyrene in Huntington Beach should be taken into consideration because it is harmful
to the environment, citizens, ozone layer, and is making more trash in our oceans.
According to the article in greenhome.com, traces of styrene were found in 100 percent of
human fat tissue samples in a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Human Tissue
Survey. Styrene, made of petroleum which is a heavily polluting resource, is the basic
building block of polystyrene and is generally used for manufacturing rubber and plastic.
Everyday, polystyrene is used and consumed by citizens when they drink coffee with
plastic lids, use to-go containers for their leftovers, and when they sip through straws. Heat,
such as coffee and hot drinks, causes the polystyrene to activate and release harsh
chemicals into substances. Long-term use of polystyrene causes fatigue, chromosomal and
blood abnormalities, and can increase the chance of getting cancer because polystyrene
contains neurotoxic chemicals that are harmful to human health and reproductive systems,
especially in women who are pregnant.
In the article Waste and Recycling Facts in Cleanair.org, it explains that very year,
Americans use approximately 102.1 billion plastic bags, creating tons of landfill waste. This
shows that plastic polystyrene just creates more waste in the environment and is almost
impossible to recycle right away since it is nonbiodegradable and takes at least 500 years
to break down. Plastic takes up more space in landfills than does paper; when there is not
enough room in landfills, plastic is thrown in the ocean and beaches. The water in the ocean
causes the plastic to release more chemicals into the ocean; when the plastic gets wet, it
leads to a contaminated water supply since most landfills are located near large bodies of
water.
When polystyrene breaks down into smaller pieces, it is mistaken as food by marine
animals and is more easily consumed, poisoning the animals in the ocean and the ocean
water itself. Thus, many animals have died and suffered because of the plastics littered on
the beaches and thrown into the ocean. We don't need anymore plastic and styrofoam
straws, containers,lids, or any form of trash in our beaches because that is where people go
to relax and have a good time in the water, but the water is not safe since the polystyrene is
contaminating the ocean with dangerous chemicals that shouldn't be consumed or exposed
to humans or marine life.
There are other safer and healthier alternatives that could be used in place of polystyrene
and styrofoam; eco-friendly alternatives would include recycled paper, corn plastics,and
other resources that are biodegradable. Using these type of materials would save trees,
energy, landfill space,water, and even money.
Ultimately, these findings show that polystyrene is dangerous to citizens' health and to the
environment; please take in consideration of banning polystyrene in Huntington Beach
because it is destroying our ocean waters marine life, and harming citizens and families.
Sincerest Regards,
Coral Rojas
Works Cited
"Why Styrofoam Is Bad!" Web log post. Green4u. N.p., 22 May 2008. Web. 16 Oct. 2013.
<http://www.green-4-u.com/2008/05/22/why-styrofoam-is-bad/>.
"Waste and Recycling Facts." Clean Air Council. Clean Air Council, n.d. Web. 17 Oct. 2013.
<http://www.cleanair.org/Waste/wasteFacts.html>.
Facts about Styrofoam®Litter. Rep. Clean Water Action, n.d. Web. 16 Oct. 2013.
<http://www.cleanwater.org//files/publications/ca/cwa fact sheet polystyrene litter 2011 03.pd
f>.
Polystyrene Foam Report. Rep. Earth Resource Foundation, n.d. Web. 16 Oct. 2013.
<http://www.earthresource.org/campaigns/capp/capp-styrofoam.html>.
��
"C49",4
1149
SURER ER
FOUNDATION
CSU Long Beach CIUb
To the Huntington Beach City Council:
As a member of the CSULB Surfrider Foundation Club I strongly urge you to
develop an ordinance to ban polystyrene (Styrofoam) from being used by all food vendors
within the city. Many of our members reside in Huntington Beach and the majority visit the city
frequently to surf and enjoy the beach, so it is very important to us to help keep it and all other
beaches clean.
Banning polystyrene is a crucial factor in achieving this goal. We have participated in
several beach cleanups in both Huntington Beach and Long Beach and always find that
polystyrene foam is one of the most, if not the most, abundant type of waste we collect. This is
likely due to the fact that it is very lightweight and therefore easily picked up by wind or water
runoff, and that it readily breaks down into many small pieces. This fact also makes it a great
threat to marine life as the small pieces can be accidentally ingested by birds and fish that either
mistake it for food or swallow it along with the real food that they eat. By banning this type of
plastic we can help eliminate it from ever entering our oceans.
Another negative aspect of polystyrene is the way it's manufactured. According to a
1986 EPA study, "the polystyrene manufacturing process is the fifth largest contributor to
hazardous waste", not to mention the air pollution caused by producing it. Its primary
ingredient, styrene,has been listed as a possible human carcinogen by the International Agency
for Research on Cancer and could leach into food in small amounts, especially after being in the
microwave. Because polystyrene is a petroleum based product it also has a greater carbon
footprint than its alternatives. These alternatives include recycled paperboard and plant-based
plastics, which are both sustainably produced and biodegradable.
By banning polystyrene you can show that your city is serious about protecting the
environment and its beaches, and you can set an example for cities like Long Beach to create
their own similar ordinances. Please side with the environment, the ocean, and the surfers
and beach-goers who help make Huntington Beach the great city that it is. Please ban
polystyrene foam.
SUPPLEMENTAL
Thank you very much. COMMUNICATION
Sincerely,
Meeting Date: ldzLZ&�
Margaret Audi
Agenda Item No. 1—.3
CSULB Surfrider Foundation Club member
October 19, 2013
Jacob Taylor
Surfrider Huntington Beach Intern
24950 Via Florecer Apt 1
Mission Viejo CA, 92692
Huntington Beach City Council
2000 Main St.
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Dear Distinguished Council Members:
The intent of this letter is to express my opinion against the use of Polystyrene in the city of Huntington
Beach. As a college student who loves taking trips to the beach, I can't stand to see the abundance of
single-use plastics by business and consumers. I believe that the ban on polystyrene cups, lids, and to-go
containers would tremendously help the efforts to clean up the beaches and decrease the amount of
garbage the city produces. In addition to the aesthetic benefits, it would also have health benefits for
those who use polystyrene products on a usual basis.
My main concern would be the health issues created as a byproduct of Styrofoam cups. Using
polystyrene products with both food and drink is a risk that I'm not willing to take anymore. As many of
you already know, styrene is a main component in polystyrene products.What you might be less aware
of is that styrene has been found to be a human carcinogen. Studies from the Department of Health and
Human Services in the Toxicology Program explain that, "Elevated risks of lymphohematopoietic cancer
were found among workers with higher exposure to styrene."Tests were first conducted on mice
showing signs of mutation in their DNA leading to cancer located in either the lungs or mammillary
glands. Both forms are insidious in nature and can lead to death.These types of cancer can go
undetected for years until it's too late. If the tests on mice are resulting positive with cancer,then the
same would remain true for humans.This chemical isn't only exposing workers creating these
polystyrene products but can be released through heat or the use of an acid.As I think about all the
ways we use Styrofoam, 1 realize that the chemical styrene is being released into our hot food from take-
out and the cold sodas that contain citric acid.
UPPLEMENTAL
COM UNICA" I®N
Sincerely,Jacob Taylor
MeeOng Sete: D
Agenda Item No. f-3
Esparza, Patty
From: Dombo, Johanna
Sent: Monday, October 21, 2013 4:54 PM
To: Esparza, Patty
Subject: FW: California Restaurant Association Comment Ltr. - Huntington Beach Ordinance
Restricting Use of Styrofoam Packaging
Attachments: Ordinance Restricting Use of Styrofoam Packaging -Huntington Beach 10.21.13.pdf
From: Kara Bush [mailto:kbush@calrest.org]
Sent: Monday, October 21, 2013 4:52 PM
To: Boardman, Connie; Harper, Matthew; Carchio, Joe; Hardy, Jill; Katapodis, Jim; Shaw, Joe; Sullivan, Dave
Cc: Fikes, Cathy; Dombo, Johanna; Matthew Sutton
Subject: California Restaurant Association Comment Ltr. - Huntington Beach Ordinance Restricting Use of Styrofoam
Packaging
Dear Distinguished Council Members,
Attached you will find the California Restaurant Association's comments in response to the development of an ordinance restricting
the use of Styrofoam packaging by food vendors in the City. Please contact me if I can provide additional information or answer any
questions. Thank you for your consideration of our comments.
Sincerely,
Kara Bush
Senior Legislative Director, Government Affairs + Public Policy
California Restaurant Association
621 Capitol Mall, Suite 2000
Sacramento, CA 95814
T: 916.431.2773/C: 916.607.9747
F: 916.447.6182
E: kbu sh(M)cal rest.org
Membership matters.
Confidentiality note
This electronic message transmission contains information from the California Restaurant Association which may be confidential or privileged.The
information is intended to be for the use of the individual or entity named above. If you are not the intended recipient. be aware that any disclosure,
copying distribution or use of the contents of this information is prohibited.
If you have received this electronic transmission in error, please immediately notify us by telephone at 800,765,4842.
1
CALIFORNIA
RESTAURANT
ASSOCIATION
October 21, 2013
Honorable Mayor and Council Members
City of Huntington Beach
2000 Main Street
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Re: Ordinance Restricting Use of Styrofoam Packaging
Dear Mayor and Council Members:
The California Restaurant Association (CRA) and the restaurant community at large share the on-
going concern over marine debris and we partner with efforts at both the state and local level to
combat the spread of such litter. Marine debris is a serious issue, however discriminatory selection
and elimination of a given type of food service product is not a sound policy approach.
When litter reduction occurs on city streets the amount of material that flows through storm
drains, rivers, and ultimately to the ocean is also reduced. We believe efforts should be aimed at
reducing all composition of litter, not a single product, so that overall volume of material reaching
the marine environment is reduced.
As for the specific product proposed to be targeted,foam food packaging containers are among the
most efficient for keeping foods fresh and hot or cold.That is why it is standard practice for ice
cream, frozen yogurt and smoothie shops, amongst others, to use foam packaging. It is often the
case that many restaurants find foam food containers to be the best fit for serving certain Mexican,
Italian, Chinese, or Thai dishes, for example, due to the functional strength of the product. Foam
food packaging provides outstanding temperature control and structural function, which are a
necessary component for serving safe and hot to-go food.
For an industry characterized by razor thin profit margins of 5-6% on the dollar in a good economy,
cost always has to be a consideration in addition to the functional value of a product. Schools,
hospitals, nursing homes, non-profit food programs, delis, and family-owned restaurants are among
the many institutions that rely upon polystyrene foam for its excellent insulation at an economical
price.
While some restaurants choose not to use foam products and others are under local ordinance bans
on the product- many restaurants still choose to use the product because of its functional value
being the best match for the type of food offered and it costs significantly less. Cost differences are
felt differently by different sizes, types, and locations of restaurants and therefore have differing
impact on the industry.The cumulative effect of all additional cost pressures only serves to harm
621 Capitol Mail,Suite 2000 Sacramento,CA 9S814 T:800.76S.4842 ;_:916.447.61182 www.cairest,org
the industry.
We object to the discriminatory product selection under this proposed movement and believe
efforts to further the current recycling of foam food containers is a better long term approach. For
these and other reasons,the CRA objects to the proposed approach before the council.Thank you
for your consideration of our views. Should you have any questions please contact me at
916.431.2773 or kbush@calrest.org.
Sincerely,
Kara Bush
Senior Legislative Director, Government Affairs+ Public Policy
California Restaurant Association
Cc: Fred Wilson, City Manager
Ken Domer, Assistant City Manager
Jennifer McGrath, City Attorney
621 Capitol Mall, Suite 2000 Sacramento,CA 95814 T:800,765.4842 F:916.447.6182 Www.celrest.org
Esparza, Patty
From: Surf City Pipeline [noreply@user.govoutreach.com]
Sent: Tuesday, October 22, 2013 8:26 AM
To: CITY COUNCIL; Agenda Alerts
Subject: Surf City Pipeline: Comment on an Agenda Item (notification)
Request# 16171 from the Government Outreach System has been assigned to Agenda Alerts.
Request type: Compliment
Request area: City Council - Agenda& Public Hearing Comments
Citizen name: ROD ANGEL
Description: STYROFOR
FREEDOM INFORMATION ACT
"FAN"
TRUCK&ROLL
Expected Close Date: 10/23/2013
Click here to access the request
Note: This message is for notification purposes only. Please do not reply to this email. Email replies are not
monitored and will be ignored.
i
Esparza, Patty
From: Dombo, Johanna
Sent: Tuesday, October 22, 2013 T59 AM
To: Esparza, Patty
Subject: FW: An letter to"Mayor" Connie Boardman and all other central planners
Here's another one...
From: Bill Pearson [mailto:wrpear@verizon.net]
Sent: Monday, October 21, 2013 7:13 PM
To: letters@ocregister.com; Boardman, Connie; Fikes, Cathy
Cc: Carchio, Joe; Hardy, Jill; Harper, Matthew; Katapodis, Jim; Shaw, Joe; Dombo, Johanna; Sullivan, Dave
Subject: An letter to "Mayor" Connie Boardman and all other central planners
Dear"Mayor",
Banning Styrofoam food trays and coffee (and multi use plastic bags) cups will NOT solve our pollution problems! It will
only cause a different product to by disposed of on our beaches. If you were at all concerned with pollution in our
oceans and on our beaches you would enforce the anti-litter laws already on the books. Also If you were serious about
pollution and our beaches you wouldn't allow people to throw plastic bags of our beach sand filled with flyers into my
neighborhood's driveways.
Fortunately my commute home leads me threw Fountain Valley were myself and my wife will be doing all of
our shopping!
Bill Pearson
H.B, CA
1
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Eddie Bennett
Surfrider Huntington Beach intern
32042 Mt. Rainier Drive
Laguna Niguel CA 93677
October 17, 2013
Huntington Beach City Council
2000 Main Street
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Dear Huntington Beach City Council:
I am a third year local college student and a frequent surfer of the beautiful beaches in and
around Huntington Beach. I am writing you today,to ask you to ban expanded polystyrene
foam from commercial use in the city of Huntington Beach. I am specifically asking you to
ban single use Polystyrene cups, lids, and containers.
It is no myth that polystyrene is horrible for the environment. Although many people
assume that there polystyrene or expand polystyrene, which includes Styrofoam, is
recyclable,they are sadly mistaken. This is a common misconception of plastic products.
As stated on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's website,the United States alone
produced 32 million tones of plastic waste in 2011. They also write that only 8 percent of
the total plastic waste produced by the United States was actually recycled in 2011. This
means that massive amount of plastics are ending up in our landfills, and worse than that
our oceans.
Once and a while our oceans punish us with a tsunami or hurricane. We call these "natural"
disasters because, well they are. They happen because that's the just how our extremely
complex earth works, but say the earth had a choice. Well I would not be surprised if the
ocean continued to lash out, if it continued to return the millions of pounds of plastic that
we humans ourselves have put into the ocean. Over the past 60 years, we have covered
millions of square miles of the oceans surface with plastic. We have Tangled, poisoned, and
killed millions of animals.We are destroying our oceans,with something that we have
made.Yet we stand and stare, as we continue to produce and use polystyrene at an
irresponsible rate.
We have already caused enough damage to our earth, and yet most of us stand by and
expect some one else to solve the problem. The time to act is now, it is time for Huntington
Beach to expand its ban's on polystyrene products. Huntington Beach is home to the
surfing hall of fame and the US Open, one of surfing's biggest contests, it should also be
home to the most progressive polystyrene laws. Polystyrene is unsustainable and
irresponsible. Huntington Beach has a chance to lead the way in anti-polystyrene laws and
be a role model for other cities. The decision is in your hands, please make the right one,
not just for Huntington Beach,but for the entire world.
Sincerely,
Eddie Bennett
Elliot Carroll
Surfrider Huntington Beach Intern
3 Sundown Dr.
Trabuco Canyon, CA 92679
October 15, 2013
Huntington Beach City Council
2000 Main Street
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Dear Esteemed Council Members:
My name is Elliot Carroll. During my childhood, my mother would often take me to Huntington
Beach to show me the beach she grew up on. I always loved visiting the beach. Although I am
not a citizen of the city, I am concerned about the state of the beach regarding polystyrene. When
walking along the beach, one can find that the beach is littered with Styrofoam packaging. This
package is made up of a compound called polystyrene, a non biodegradable compound. I write
this letter to persuade the Huntington Beach City Council to place a ban polystyrene.
Polystyrene is a product that is composed of many toxins. It is found in our food packaging, our
coffee lids, and our cups. What research has found is that the toxins leak into our food and drinks
when the polystyrene container possesses something hot or acidic. When someone drinks from
their coffee cup, the toxins leak into their drink. The acids in our carbonated drinks break down
the polystyrene. Some of these toxins that are finding a way into our food and drinks have been
proven to be carcinogens. One of the carcinogens is formaldehyde which is also found in
cigarette smoke and paint. Cigarettes have been banned from most public areas, but their
chemicals have found their way back into the restaurants through means of polystyrene. If we
know that polystyrene can be such a problem that it can lead to cancer, then why isn't everyone
for this ban?
Companies support the use of polystyrene because it has excellent physical characteristics, it is
versatile, and it is cost-efficient. There are alternatives to polystyrene out there that are
biodegradable that cost a little more, but businesses are reluctant to pay a little more for more
eco-friendly products. Pat Durette, from Somerville Public Schools, says that on average, a
school will go through 800,000 polystyrene trays a year. Each tray cost $.03 and a biodegradable
tray would cost $.08. For businesses looking to make a profit, this shouldn't be too much of a
hassle. Maybe their alternatives they turn to cost a little more, but they can use this increased
cost by increasing the cost on their own products by a few cents. This will not only cover the cost
of the alternative packaging, but also allow them to make more profit. Switching to new
packaging should not be a problem. It can even be a benefit to business if done correctly.
The reason for this letter is to help show that we can work together to stray away from
polystyrene. We can make it possible to change to a more biodegradable compound by both
ethical and economical means. We can make a difference by working together.
Sincerely,
Elliot Carroll