The Alaska House of Representatives on April 21 passed a bill banning restaurants from providing food in polystyrene foam containers.
If the bill wins Senate approval and the governor’s signature, Alaska would become the 13th state to ban polystyrene containers.
Such to-go or carryout food containers are banned in Bethel, Cordova and Seward.
Anchorage Rep. Andy Josephson introduced the bill to address what he called an “alarming problem” of plastic pollution.
Josephson cited a statistic from the Ocean Conservancy, an environmental advocacy nonprofit, which found polystyrene foam is found in 22% of food takeout containers in the U.S.
Polystyrene foam is a non-biodegradable plastic that is used to make insulated and disposable plates, cups and takeout containers. It contains chemicals that can be harmful when heated and contributes to environmental pollution. Styrofoam is a form of expanded polystyrene foam.
The Ocean Conservancy estimates that Americans use 5.6 billion pieces of plastic foam annually.
“There’s enough foam produced every year to fill the Dallas Cowboys stadium five times. That’s what’s at issue here,” Josephson said.
The proposed restrictions would not apply to food prepared outside of Alaska or to areas affected by a disaster emergency. Restaurants would be able to apply to the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation for exemptions.
The bill instructs the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation to recommend that restaurants reuse food service ware instead of using disposable containers.
Green Alaska Solutions, Alaska Community Action on Toxics and Oceana, an advocacy organization focused on ocean conservation, supported the bill.
Opponents of the bill included the Foodservice Packaging Institute, the Alaska Chamber of Commerce, the Plastics Industry Association, and the Alaska Cabaret, Hotel, Restaurant, and Retailers Association, or CHARR.
Kati Capozzi, president and CEO of the state chamber, wrote that the bill would impose financial burdens on Alaska’s businesses. Sarah Oates Harlow, president of Alaska CHARR, said the bill would decrease restaurant profit margins. Both expressed concerns that the ban would hurt small businesses.
“By requiring restaurants to use more expensive alternatives that may not perform as well — especially for hot or cold foods — this bill threatens to increase operating costs for businesses already struggling with narrow margins. The unintended consequence could be higher costs for consumers and additional strain on small businesses,” Capozzi reported in a letter to legislators.
The bill passed 25-15 in the House. The 15 votes against the measure came from Republicans.
Eagle River Rep. Dan Saddler said he opposed the bill vehemently. “This is using the power of government to force people to do things that the government believes are best for you. … the government seldom knows best on these kinds of things.”
Juneau Rep. Sara Hannan supported the bill and spoke about its environmental impact. “It (polystyrene foam) never goes away. It just breaks down into smaller and smaller and smaller particles and finds its way into our diverse ecosystem, primarily waterways.”
She also said that legislators should not only consider the cost of alternative disposable food service ware, but the cost of landfills and Alaskans’ health.
Fairbanks Rep. Ashley Carrick voted in support of the bill and compared the ban to seat belt laws and the establishment of smoke-free workplaces. She told legislators that the long-term benefits to public health and the environment outweigh the short-term costs.
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