The Long Beach City Council and the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors voted yesterday to ban the use of expanded polystyrene food packaging ("Styrofoam") in municipal facilities.  Bans on EPS in municipal facilities are often the first step to a broader food packaging law.  Shaun Bishop of the San Mateo Daily News writes:

The ordinance bans polystyrene, a petroleum-based material commonly used in take-out containers, and in turn requires the county use biodegradable, recyclable or reusable products...If the initial ban is successful, [County Supervisor Adrienne] Tissier said she would like to expand the ordinance to include all businesses in the county's unincorporated areas.

Read the Complete Article>> 

Additionally, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors voted yesterday to ban the distribution of EPS at the county harbor.

Read an Article in the Ventura County Star>>

Many other municipalities are currently considering similar, or tougher, laws regarding polystyrene takeout food packaging, which is a central component of marine debris pollution.

CAW and Polystyrene:

• CAW is sponsoring AB 904 (Feuer), which would phase out the use of nonrecyclable takeout food packaging like polystyrene.