Councilman Ward Proposes Banning Styrofoam In San Diego

Thursday, May 31, 2018

By Brooke Ruth, Maureen Cavanaugh

Credit: Associated Press

Above: Foam soup containers are stacked in a New York restaurant, Feb. 14, 2013.

Aired 5/31/18 on KPBS Midday Edition

Councilman Proposes Banning Styrofoam In San Diego

GUEST:

Chris Ward, councilman, District 3 in city of San Diego

Transcript for audioclip 40135

San Diego may become the fourth city in the county to ban Styrofoam food and beverage containers.

A proposal announced Thursday by San Diego city Councilman Chris Ward would stop restaurants from using polystyrene, more commonly known as Styrofoam, and would also ban the sale of the material in the city.

“It’s time San Diego joins over a hundred cities throughout California that have already banned these harmful environmental pollutants and moves forward toward a more sustainable future,” Ward said in a statement.

Just last year, the San Diego City Council decided not to ban Styrofoam, but instead begin a recycling program for the material.

San Diego's Climate Action Plan calls for diverting 100 percent of our waste from the landfill by 2040.

Imperial Beach voted to ban Styrofoam in January. Solana Beach and Encinitas previously approved bans.

Ward joined Midday Edition Thursday to discuss the proposal.

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