How do I Ban Styrofoam Containers in Restaurants?

Polystyrene, commonly known by the brand name Styrofoam, is a petroleum-based plastic made from the styrene monomer. It is commonly used as packaging for take-out food from restaurants because it is inexpensive, light weight and provides very good insulation. According to a report by the Green Restaurant Association, however, styrene, the basic building block of polystyrene, is a hazardous material that is dangerous to workers and a threat to the environment. The manufacturing of polystyrene releases tropospheric ozone (a serious ground-level pollutant) into the air. When polystyrene combusts, it releases 57 chemical byproducts, and toxic chemicals leach out of polystyrene containers into the food they contain.

Things You'll Need

• Internet
• Pamphlets and brochures

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Instructions

• 1

  Learn everything you can about polystyrene. Study reliable, objective sources such as governmental publications, university studies and newspapers. Educate yourself about how polystyrene is produced, how it is disposed of and exactly what threats it poses to workers, consumers and the environment.

• 2

  Study arguments in favor of polystyrene. If you are going to wage a campaign against polystyrene, you need to familiarize yourself with the reasons some people think it is safe or beneficial to use so you can dispute these reasons in a logical and informed manner. Studying the benefits of polystyrene will also help you discover alternative, safer products that perform the same functions.

• 3

  Read about other cities that have already banned polystyrene, such as Portland, Ore., and Orange County, Calif. These precedent cases will help you figure out what steps other people took in their communities to achieve the results you want to achieve in yours. You can use these cases as role models as you build your own and also cite them as support for your argument that polystyrene should be banned.

• 4

  Find out if there is already a group or organization in your area that is trying to ban polystyrene. If so, you can join this group and together take actions that would be difficult for you to take alone, such as staging demonstrations or letter-writing campaigns. If there is no group, consider forming one and recruiting other concerned citizens. Note that many organizations with broader aims concerning the environment may be interested in pursuing this cause.

• 5

  Create a pamphlet or brochure outlining your reasons for wanting to ban polystyrene from restaurant use. Cite reliable scientific studies in your pamphlet to prove your statements, and make a list of resources that readers can use to learn more about polystyrene. Take your literature and distribute it to every restaurant in your area. Many restaurant managers may not realize how dangerous polystyrene is, and no chef wants to serve his or her creations in packaging that will contaminate them with hazardous materials.

• 6

  Find out which elected officials in your area are responsible for creating and voting on laws regarding polystyrene. Craft well informed, courteous letters to these officials explaining your reasons for wanting the ban. Make sure to mention that several other cities have already taken this step, and list a few suitable alternatives to polystyrene. Encourage your friends and family members to write similar letters.