According to The San Diego Union-Tribune, San Diego residents will now be able to recycle polystyrene food containers with curbside recyclables July 1, 2017 (Zero Waste program). Previously banned, this business-friendly approach was passed unanimously by the city council.
The polystyrene will be a sent to a secondary processor that will further recycle and sort; the city’s recycling contractor quoted $300,000 to this option’s $90,000. The funds will come out of the $3.3 million annual revenue the city receives from residential recycling.
It is a very exciting time for restaurant, food truck owners and single family homeowners as polystyrene is now categorized as recyclable. When initially banned it cost thousands of dollars due to the fact that paper products are less effective and more expensive.
Noted in the article, “Chris Duggan of the California Restaurant Association praised the city’s decision last month, promising that local restaurants would help educate residents that they can start recycling the containers.”
The new adoption of recycling polystyrene will help the Californians closer to the overall goal of ‘Zero Waste’. The plan calls for a 75 percent diversion rate by 2020, a 90 percent diversion rate by 2035 and 100 percent diversion by 2040.
“As an industry and company, we are very pleased to see the positive results of open dialogue and collaboration with all stakeholders, basing decisions on data as opposed to strictly emotions,” replies David Bolland, President/Owner of Plymouth Foam, Inc.. “We are proud to support such initiatives that leverage Airpop’s® (aka EPS) recyclability and adaptability – after all, it is 98% air.”
To read the full article, Instead of Ban, San Diego Will Allow Recycling of Food Containers, please click here.