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By Sam Becker
It destroys our environment, gives us cancer, kills wildlife, and takes jobs away from our local economy. What is it? It is polystyrene foam (PSF), which is commonly known as Styrofoam™.
My name is Sam Becker, and I am a mission to ban PSF food containers in Medford, Oregon. I’m currently a Senior at St. Mary’s High School in Medford, and this desire has been waxing ever since I adopted and started doing community service on a stretch of the local pedestrian/bike path as a Sophomore. I came to despise PSF due to the way it looks as litter in nature and the way it crumbles into smaller pieces when I try to pick it up. This sentiment drove me to do extensive research on PSF, and I discovered it has a wide spectrum of deleterious effects on the environment, humans, other organisms, and our local economy. These discoveries have led me to where I am today: spearheading a citywide initiative to ban PSF food containers.
So, why ban PSF food containers?
PSF Harms the Environment
• PSF, which is derived from petroleum, can take 1,000,000+ years to decompose.1
• With very few recycling mechanisms in place (none in the Rogue Valley), only 0.2% of PSF is recycled in the US.2
• Americans throw away an alarming 25 billion PSF cups alone each year.3
• PSF manufacturing is the 5th largest creator of hazardous waste in the U.S.4
PSF Harms Humans
• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services views styrene (PSF’s main component) as a likely carcinogen.5
• The EPA has detected Styrene in the fatty tissue of every person tested. 6
• Occupational exposure to Styrene increases risk of the following cancers: lymphoma, leukemia, lung, pancreatic, urinary bladder, prostate, and colorectal.7
PSF Harms Other Organisms
• As PSF breaks down into smaller pieces that are commonly ingested by wildlife, which harms or kills them.8
PSF Harms Oregon’s Local Economy
• Oregon's economy is not based on petroleum extraction or petroleum manufacturing, so the creation and purchase of PSF does not put money into Oregon's local economy.9
• However, the use of paper food containers, when made from recycled materials or sustainably-managed forests, provides both direct environmental and economic benefits to Oregon.10
Due to these facts, over 150 cities across the U.S., including Austin, Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco, New York, Seattle, and Medford’s neighbor Ashland have all banned PSF food containers.
The ordinance I constructed contains an economic exemption for “food vendors” that make a gross income under $300,000 and cannot find an alternative that would cost the same or less than PSF would be exempt. Also, many economically feasible and more sustainable replacements exist, such as paper, corn, and other plant based materials.
I was given the go ahead to start petitioning from the City of Medford after months of waiting. Now, after a little over a month, the committee I set up has collected nearly 1500 signatures. However, in order to reach our goal of 4000 signatures by December 1st, we are increasing the frequency at which we petition, looking for businesses and other entities to support us, and searching for publicity through different media outlets that exist in Medford.
I will continue to work tirelessly upon this initiative because if it passes, I believe it will encourage others, no matter their age, to get involved in the political process, learn about the dire state of the environment, and facilitate progressive changes at home and within their community.
PSF food containers characterize the shameless waste that persists within our consumer culture. I believe that making the environment subservient to economic pressures by maximizing short-term benefits at the expense of future generations is shortsighted. Unfortunately, this outlook characterizes many of the daily activities that humans partake in. Therefore, replacing PSF is a small step towards combating the larger problem that humanity MUST take.
If you can help us achieve our goal in any way, shape, or form, please contact me as soon as possible. I also invite you to contact me for any additional information, questions, or concerns you may have.
Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Sam Becker
[email protected]
Like us on Facebook at “ECOS – Environmental Committee to Outlaw Styrofoam”
Citations:
1http://www.eia.gov/kids/resources/teachers/pdfs/LandfillPrimary.pdf
2http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Styrofoam-food-packaging-banned-in-O…
3http://www.epa.gov/reg3wcmd/solidwasterecyclingfacts.htm
4http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic967858.files/PolystyreneFact…
5http://www.cleanwateraction.org/files/publications/ca/cwa_fact_sheet_po…
6http://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyPURL.cgi?Dockey=9100CFRU.txt
7http://greentownlosaltos.org/wpcontent/uploads/Polystyrene_Litter_Fact_…
8http://www.cleanwateraction.org/files/publications/ca/cwa_fact_sheet_po…
9http://cpbis.gatech.edu/data/mills-online-new?state=Oregon
10http://cpbis.gatech.edu/data/mills-online-new?state=Oregon
