What do you Think about Excess Food Packaging?


Following the lead of San Francisco, Oakland and Santa Monica, more and more municipalities are considering mandating that takeout food packaging be made from recyclable or compostable materials, which diverts packaging from landfills and encourages the use of material that degrade in the marine environment, like paperboard. Currently, unrecyclable takeout food packaging like foamed polystyrene are the second largest component of litter, and are a large component of marine debris.  How do you feel about food packaging ordinances? Do you have questions for CAW employees? This forum is your place to discuss these issues.

 

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Re: Fast food Guilt

Submitted by Bryan Early (not verified) on April 30, 2007 - 12:11.

A couple of large fast food chains, like McDonalds, have trended away from unrecyclable plastics in favor of paperboard. Use of compostable food packaging is greatest in municipalities that have packaging incentives and/or ordinances. In San Francisco, for example, restaurants that divert most of their waste through composting receive a 75% reduction in their waste fees. A state-wide food packaging law is in the works.