Loading...
10/24/1989 - Packet CITY OF TIGARD iTi<<T TTIES AND FRANCFEESE OC1941T F.E MEETIlIG A02M October 24, 1989 - 7:00 P.M. Tigard City Hall - Town Hall Roam Members: McReynolds, Barrett, Irwin, Jacobs, Walsh, Wogen, Sullivan Ey- Officio Members: Miller, Leichner, Schmidt Guest: Kronwitter 1. Call to order. ,- 2. Minutes of September 19, 1989. 3. Panel discussion - plastic containers 4,—ms` s--• Panelists: v- o Robert Jenks - Oregon State Public Interest Research Group v o Susan Ferris - Plastic industry v o Dennis Denton - Plastic recycler o Representative of Puget Corporation 5. Adjournment iO C T - 2 4 - S S T U E 14 : 2 :9 PACIPIC T A X S ERV I C E P - 02 CITY OF TIOARD UTILITIES & FRANCHISE COMMITTEE October 24, 1989 1. Call To Order 2 . Roll Call & Introductions: Gerry McReynolds, Chairman Don Jacobs, Vice-Chairman Becky Barrett, Secretary Mark Irwin Dan Walsh Eldon Wogen Tom Sullivan - Welcome as new member Tom Miller, Miller's Sanitary Service Mike Leichner, Pride's Disposal Larry Schmidt, Schmidt's Sanitary Service Mike Misovetz Rick Cronewitter 3 . Committee Function Statement Welcome to those of you attending for the first time The Utilities & Franchise Committee is a citizen's involvement committee appointed by the Tigard City Coun- cil, to research & investigate issues concerning Utili- ties & Franchises within the City of Tigard. The committee only advises or make recommendations to the City Council. ;QLID WASTE COLLECTION & DISPOSAL are part of the responsibility of the committee. This includes reducing Solid Waste by Re-cycling as mandated by the State Leg- islature. 4 . Minutes of September 19, 1989 meeting. 5. Background Statement. The City of Portland adopted an ordinance banning Styro- foam containers within the City of Portland. �1CT — 4 — s39 TLIE 1 4 : 24 PAC I F I C TAX SERVICE: P 03 Because Tigard is adjacent to Portland, it is our responsibility to investigate such an ordinance for Tigard. This meeting is a fact findj7ag forum - designed to heap the committee gather information about Styrofoam & Plas- tic products and their disposal & re-cycling issues. zt is NOT a hearingl. The committee nor the City Council has not made any recommendations or proposals concerning a ban on styrofoam or any other plastic products. The committee has asked the speakers, you will hear tonight, to educate or inform the committee of the vari- ous views surrounding this issue. If any recommendations, proposals or ordinances are made changing the way Tigard is currently treating Styrofoam and other Plastic Froducts, the Public will be duly notified and the appropriate hearings and processes will be followed. Utilities & Franchise Committee meetings are open to the Public as are all the Tigard advisory committee meet- ings. I strongly urge each of you to participate. Per- sonally I have found it very worth while. This meeting was advertised in the papers because of the intense public interest in the topic tonight. 6. Tonight's Format For tonight, we will follow a modified debate format. Z will introduce each speaker. The speaker will have approximately minutes to give their point of view. 00T - 24 - 89 TIDE 1 4 : 24 PAC IF= I C TAX SERA.' I CE P _ 04 After all the speakers have given their presentation, each speaker will be given 3 minutes to sum up their statement or make rebuttals. if time allows, questions may be asked of the speakers. It is our intention to adjourn by PM. M �. 4`4 Tr MOCO Amoco Foam Products Company �� Suite 108 5108 East Clinton Way Fresno, California 93727 Commercial Products (209) 252-8691 A TIME OF NEED We applaud the many manufacturers and wholesalers that donated disposable foodservice goods to earthquake relief in the greater San Francisco area. The response was timely and very generous. Amoco Foam Products is pleased to have been able to meet emergency Red Cross needs in Santa Cruz and Oakland by supplying disposable plates, bowls and serving trays. Product was also sent to the Watsonville area. We thank Superior Transportation System for donating trucking services. The recent major disasters have pointed to the importance of foodservice disposables for efficient and sanitary feeding, particularly where electricity and clean water supplies are limited. POLYSTYRENE PACKAGING COUNCIL, INC. 1025 CONNECI'ICU'h AVE., NW SUITE 513 WASHINGTON, DC 20036 202/822-6424 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Steve Tobia/Jan Fambro (213) 487-0016 NAT'L POLYSTYRENE RECYCLING COMPANY TO LOCATE TWO OF FIVE RECYCLING CENTERS IN CALIFORNIA Los Angeles and San Francisco Areas Targeted LOS ANGELES, CA (October 26, 1989) -- The National Polystyrene Recycling Company (NPRC) today announced that it will establish five polystyrene foam reprocessing centers nationwide by the end of 1990. Locations targeted for four of these recycling centers include Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and Philadelphia, while the fifth center, Plastics Again, already is operational in Leominster, Massachusetts. According to Dick Gamble, spokesperson for the NPRC, "With the recent enactment of legislation in California, such as AB939, as well as the proliferation of local recycling services and systems, the polystyrene reprocessing facilities in Los Angeles and San Francisco will serve a key role in insuring that a California recycling outlet is available for all polystyrene packaging that is collected." The NPRC has established a goal to recycle 250 million pounds of polystyrene per year by 1995, an amount equal to 25% of the polystyrene used in food service and product packaging each year in the United States. 1 of 3 "Today's announcement that the Los Angeles area will host a site for one of the nation's first polystyrene recycling facilities reinforces this city's position as a leader in solid waste management and environmental policy," said Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley who last summer encouraged the plastics industry to locate a recycling plant in Los Angeles. With the establishment of these polystyrene recycling facilities, the collection of polystyrene packaging becomes the next step in closing the recycling loop. Locally, Ecolo-Haul's Recycling Center in Santa Monica, a division of Waste Management, Inc., has established a drop-off collection system that will provide the general public the opportunity to recycle polystyrene along with their other recyclables. "In the past, Ecolo-Haul Recycling Services has positioned itself on the leading edge in the development of new collection systems and markets," Gary Petersen, Ecolo- Haul founder and Vice President states. "With this newest program, I congratulate the City of Santa Monica for its tremendous support in the polystyrene recycling effort and we are pleased to be allied in this program." The City of Santa Monica, in cooperation with the Polystyrene Packaging Council, has played an integral part in coordinating and spearheading the polystyrene drop-off system now in place. Additionally, the city is embarking on an aggressive information campaign to inform its residents about the recyclability of polystyrene. The campaign is being launched with a full-page newspaper advertisement in the Santa Monica Evening Outlook beginning Friday, October 27, 1989. 2 of 3 "The City of Santa Monica is pleased and proud to play a part in this effort to recycle polystyrene and any other recyclable materials. We believe and are committed to recycling as an essential element in managing our waste stream," Santa Monica Mayor Dennis Zane said. In addition to the drop-off system, other recycling programs include separation of polystyrene packaging in restaurants, commercial retail/warehousing separation, institutional programs at schools and hospitals, and with an eye to the future, potentially, curbside programs. Two Los Angeles-area McDonalds Restaurants have launched test source separation programs which will enable their patrons to conveniently participate In recycling efforts. McDonalds' customers will be asked to separate their polystyrene from other materials by placing it in a special recycling bin. Polystyrene foam products are widely used because they are lightweight, sanitary, economical and have good insulating qualities. Additionally, polystyrene foam food service packages are free of ozone depleting CFCs (chloroflurocarbons) and polystyrene also helps in the energy saving department as it takes less energy to manufacture polystyrene than alternative products. Polystyrene is 100% recyclable and can be made into many useful and durable products such as refuse containers, videotape cassettes, building insulation materials, office accessories and meal food trays. (AMOCO) IN SEARCH OF SOLUTIONS Introducing AMOCOR-PB4, made entirely of recycled polystyrene foam at Amoco's facility in Winchester, Virginia. Amocor-P134 is applied to building foundations in commer- cial settings to create a protective barrier between the foun- dation and the external environment. As an added benefit, the material has some insulation value. Recycling polystyrene foam sandwich containers, cups, and school lunch trays into durable goods like P134 helps to pro- vide long-term solutions to our environmental problems. Amoco Foam Products Company ♦ P.O. Box 8351 ♦ Fresno, CA 93747 ♦ 209 / 252-8691 i DISPOSABLES FOR FOODSERVICEAND PACKAGING: THE PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE WIIEREAS, a growing number of state and local WHEREAS attempting to solve waste problems governments in the U.S. propose to ease problems of by minimizing the use of single service will have a landfill shortage by mandating the minimization of deleterious impact upon the availability of safe and the use of disposables for foodscrvice and packaging sanitary packaging for the retail sale and service of (understood here to include paper and plastic cups, foods; plates, and containers, but not bottles and cans); and THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Inter- WI IEREAS foodservice disposables are esti- national Association of Milk, Food, and Environ- maied to to only one-half of one-percent of lie total mental Sanitarians affirms that single service prod- municipal solid waste burden; and acts contribute significantly to sanitation in food- W I IEREAS paler single service articles arc service and packaging and constitute an essential biodegradable and plasticwar+e items arc recyclable; element of preventing foodborne disease. and i3E IT FURTHER RESOLVED that (AMf ES WtIEREAS the single service industry is moving views the strategy of minimizing the use of single expeditiously to develop systems for recycling plash- service in order to alleviate the solid waste and litter cware; and problems as a regressive step in food protection and contrary to the interests of public health. WHEREAS the single service industry has aban- 13E IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of doned tale "Se of ozone depleting, fully halogenated chlorofauorocatbons (CFCs) in the manufacture of this resolution be sent to the Environmental Protec- polystyrrene foam cups and containers for food- tion Agency Office of Solid Waste, to appropriate service; and environmental associations, such as the National En- vironmental Health Association (NEiIA), the Ameri- WHEREAS banning or restricting the use of can Public Health Association (APHA), and the Con- paler or plastic plates,cups and containers will have ference of Local Iiealth Administrators (NCLEHA), a minimal effect upon the nation's solid waste and to the National Conference of State Legislatures, problem; and the National League of Citic§, and the U.S. Confer- WHEREAS disposables for foodservice and ence of Mayors. packaging continue to be a desirable sanitary alterna- - live to reusables under many conditions of modern Resolution of the international Association of Milk,Food and Environmental Sanitarians,adopted in Kansas City,Missouri, food delivery; and August 15, 1989. SINGLE SERVICE NEWS October, 1989 Foodservice and Packaging Institute a f{j{j J ductThe MoreWe All DoToday— uurf o s The BetterThings Will BeTomorrow. ow Z-4 Your continued support is needed.A beautiful environment is something most Americans take for granted. But in today's world it is critically important that we take measures to protect our rich natural do resources. At Amoco,we are determined to maintain our lustFool_F tradition of being environmentally responsible.Every company and every individual should do the same. Because every action we take now will have an effect on the world we,and our children,will know in - ` Y 7Nr the future. �• w r -- -�_ �``� - ` � Y T� i x REE®LE' w' �:.. ��: � �� �_- �_ ■s nue �. a i ' ...rte w ' r n µ RESTAURANT r GENERAT: STAMENMEN RE' LM® ® �m nun Sources: z j 1.Franklin and Associates Study For The U.S.Environmental Protection Agency. 2."Questions And Answers On Plastic Packaging and the Environment,"Council On Plastics and Packaging In The Environment,Dec. 1987. 3.Solid Waste Management of the Chief Administrative Office of San Francisco. 4.Council On Plastics and Packaging In The Environment. S.Council On Plastics and Packaging In The Environment. ' AMOCO 6."Water—Here's A Way To Save It"—published by Single Service Institute. 7."Water—Here's A Way To Save It"—published by Single EB-01-788 Service Institute. ©Amoco Foam Products Co. 1988 _ 1 ..rte • } Jri P �Y Amoco s Foam Products Y' Non-Biodegradable Plastic MakesProtectTheEnvironment t LandfillsMoStable And Does Not r B Lls>n No CFCs. ContL�nninate Groundwater. ,r �� tr t.`t 4 _':�� " .. ,`.„ , :',: � ..M:. •'." ) good t,�� �,� �-, -"'ra"' .'ti • �4 t' ;, When landfill is the only alternative its d to �_. ,. - r r . We at Amoco have been _ ) __ , e- taken an active role m L _ know that what was once the site of a landfill can protecting our environ- < M, , , .w: now be used for something beneficial.In many r P g x_._ arts of America landfill sites are been made into merit for years.We believe �. 1 .� r•..�w, .;, ._. ... �� „ Y., things like ballparks and even resort communities = a o�� m makin then ht rod- -:.� th ng b 3 s w, , a P _. v ,_: ucts then ht way. e .� ,.� � ...} ��.x.-.. ,. �._. ". < ,. .,:...: :.. �:, .,� ) �: ...� �. .� . . , ..�: - _ .. ... .. . plastic plays a Po ,. � g Y t . ,. �" �. >.� .� _:__ _, .,,, �i Plastic and antic foam also positive role , s� w,.,n.e< ..:i .. - .,. . m this e of waste disposal.Polystyrene and other thought you deserved to know some facts type about how these products are made. :.. , _a_ � .; �.R- T :;; plastics are non-biodegradable.Most people think -* �.: ''.y "' �" 4h ' ' 7 biodegradable is a word that has only positive con- food on Amoco foam foodservice products, � �.k�.`=� �+�,. ,� _ -� ... g y p food packaging and retail tableware rod- _ ': °~ '' -, notations,but this isn't true when it comes to land- fills. and fills. Biodegradable materials break down into gases, ucts are made without chlorofluoro- = ---- ) b � g t 7 a [ , "CFCs" chemicals and other substances which are released carbons.Scientists believe that CFCs, a a h g0.,7�► 1 k: :, ti as they're known can Kann the earths N- - -- ~ - ui into the ground.What's more,landfills made up of 4 rt_ r Y = . .- ozone layer and damage our environment. s. � - .--�-.-.__< . ,_ _... -,_ ��.�,,�; biodegradable material,once covered over to be The majority of polystyrene foam con- used for something else,are subject to sinkholes tainer manufacturers using CFCs have and land shifting as their contents break down. agreed to stop using regulated CFCs in Non-biodegradable plastic foam,on the other hand, their products. g 1, ay, p creates a more stable building site and won't leak - y } It r i n harmful materials into the ground and contaminate We support their effort.Ager all, r Amoco has been making quality food- pp p i water supplies.Because containment is so im octant service and packaging products for years —plastic,because it won't biodegrade,is usually l required as a liner in landfills. without CFCs.And we will continue to q do so in the future. Pos ene Foam AVe Small Part Of Our Growin Waste Problem. lY tYr" rY g Many people have the impression that disposable foam foodservice percent of all wastes? containers are a huge part of America's waste problem.The facts, Apparently because of the high visibility of names and logos of from objective sources,tell a different story. quick service restaurants,refuse from these establishments is The findings of a survey conducted for the U.S.Environmental perceived to be a much larger percentage of America's waste than Protection Agency on the content of America's landfill waste it really is. shows that all plastics of all kinds make up only 7.2%of America's Still,we cannot ignore the waste problem facing us all.And waste,I and of this it has been estimated that all foam food service even though plastic foam is a small part of the problem, facts containers and food packaging make up only one quarter of one shoe that foam may be one of the keys to a solution. PercentofPlastics inthe Solid WasteStream ' i B mise.O,p k VAamen Americans ConserveCleanWater Using s environmental B U In Foam. One of the most important r°a`^ � -nc,disposable foam food products - _ ...: = ' Paper and Paperboard � i b 1 benefits ofus iute u o ��� t is water consen`ation Foam containers and a ,,' ',. .- tableware products sate America billions of 51 tit ' ciao i�""` gallons of clean water each Bear. Vfood 3.89. Z o `4:i°' b > .,.,.. .,'.; ., ,,'. ., _, �:: .~.t...r'-, ,• ,,.,,. . .•. . .. Tcetiles -. ,t ..',>', Fol'instance,COmmel"Clal dl5htl'aShel's LISe am-where from 70 to X00 gallons ofwater stet per R Leather '` . - ut.- ,.•,,,x..; ..� .c .,. -., -_,g; '., c.�t t hour to clean reusable plates and utensils!'So 2.5.. Source-U.S.Environmental Protection Agency,Franklin Associates - , � '� ,� ,c. anv foodsell'1Ce outlet llSIR disposable �i'OC1UCtS - .., , ,`:, • l :: S.�tv '�: : s.� ���. b 1 r - 1 �A-ill Save that much water. In fact, using dis- posable w ;tip ec i I plates and utensils saves 71 gallons of Percentof Po ene in the Solid Waste Streainr P _ ,',=y. ,_. «,� „� -'•s` "h t x '..n'.-e 4 ,� T:� •s;t:. vl a ri'}int 1. t�;u t served 7 clean .nater for evert' 100 customers With America's tremendous amount of daily' �l -... � __`:» •,., r>"^. .....-;-? ., :All Other Baste - r. _ s �.. _. .. .> _. ,. �; " (.rater re uired , restaurant use, the amount o ri ., .- .. . for cleaning reaches staggering proportions. it AJ 11 disposables hold e uallt These statistics fora di �o 1 q - - _-. ,,.-_...,....,... ,a...�t' . ,.,. ,:.�.. f_ _�F r [ s .tet�. .ar .,:;-,. - .�, .� , ar,=,; - . ..-, a , 3... '„4 ,..*..--,..>,- ,. ,. -tea.--M.. �sx....z., uy = _ �_.-..,-. Fi a... - - . ,m .c � �.� ti for foam in articular. But foam products 3r..,�»� -. ;'�#5� �� -: k ,. "... .i.-3...•.,- -'k:'1 '4'k. .�2r .r.... „.-,. - _k t i::lXf ... ..:. �( v P 1 do consen'e considerablt�more water because �d��� � ,. ,:� ` .,..:"- �a � -. "-+'""`,. r'• •.�;t r � � s„ Lia t �. ,�..:,_. 1t 't i_,, :.t - aFss' ;,.., .. °'.".: : .' 26aFoamPoodserriceandFoodPac' "" �'.w-.:= .,.�,... �..,,a-..+. .,-`- F.'»»•...-'.. '',,->, sr s �� ,GT`�rt�.f r ti, t� r they requirelarless�A'atet-m the manllfacttil"inei ^.. .. s • :- B ''� .rte ,_'d-'"',"" "`� r t, 5-ta yita Z t, -u r r- Source:Foodservice and Packaging Institute,Inc.,Washington,D.C. i C 'Y t t� }t ' process itself. �s Amocols Support4The "Keep America Beautiful"Organization. Community programs sponsored by Keep AM�'�I� America Beautiful, Inc.are helping keep i k- our environment clean and healthy,bene- -, tring everyone. Keep America Beautiful, Inc.has been A UTIF� a leader in creating awareness of America's _- - , litter problem.More importantly,the tie A group has motivated citizens to take action,by sponsoring � litter prevention,educational programs and recycling efforts all over the country. Amoco is a corporate supporter of Keep America Beautiful, Inc. Amoco is a member of Keep America Beautiful,Inc. We're Worldng ForA BetterProduct And ABetter Environment. The positive environmental aspects of Amoco polystyrene service operation.Not to mention convenience and better foam enhance our long list of performance advantages. service.These are the same reasons you began using Amoco Amoco foam's insulation properties are unmatched.So foam disposables to begin with,and the best reasons to our products keep hot things hotter and cold things colder. continue to use them. Foam protects food better than paper And Amoco makes all types of or cardboard,too.Plus foam con- disposables.Whether the need is for tainers don't affect the taste of foods. r trays,or carryouts,bowls or plates— That means better food quality with lids,or without...talk to for you. Amoco.We make foam disposables I Foam disposables are more saa- tr for restaurants,schools,hospitals and tary.And are easier for take-out res- other food service applications.We taurant employees to work with, make food packaging for produce, s because with clamshells,there's wr. _ * �b � poultry and meat.And we make a nothing to wrap or assemble. full line of retail consumer products Plus foam disposables are lighter including Sturdy Ware!'So for the in weight. It all adds up to less labor Amoco—A quality line ofdisposables and food pack- best in food disposables and packag- and material costs in your food aging products. ing,contact Amoco. RESTA.URANT`' ' t t777, o 5 . . _ BMW VEME Foam And Other Plastics Are Recyclable--An 0 ortuni To � � Make Maximum Lpse Of 1` ° „x ra q�. �.0 ,� �t t yy L �� 4 ZZ OurResources. Amoco is literally pioneering the process for x 7 the most environmentally positive method of foam waste disposal—recycling.We have demonstrated that used foam carryout con- tainers from restaurants can be recycled.Amoco , is developing technology to convert this recycled material into new non-food products like foun- dation water-proofing protection board for 1.: commercial building construction. ^x recycling reduces waste,replaces it with .._ With recycling programs in development something useful and at the same time like the one begun several years ago in the _ minimizes environmental side effects. aluminum can industry,plastic could conceiv- - Recycling is the way of the future. y g paper - "` s = Mandatory recycling is widespread in ably exceed lass, a er and aluminum as America's most valuable recycling material. Japan.San Francisco already recycles al- And commingled plastics can be converted most 257o of its waste 3 Eventually it will into almost indestructible maintenance-free affect all of us because it is such a positive plastic materials for making items such as fence solution.That's why at Amoco,we don't posts and boat docks. AMOCOR$-P]34—A new wrap for believe in waiting until it's a reality— Recycling programs are critical.Because only foundation.waterproofing. we're helping to make it one. Pastic Foam BenefitsThe Energy Recovery Process. Next to recycling,converting waste to energy through energy operations are planned or under construction,adding incineration is the best means of waste disposal.Currently to the 100 already operating in America. : about 57o of America's garbage is incinerated and converted Here again,polystyrene foam is proving beneficial to this to energy. By the year 2000,however,this figure should increasingly important means of waste disposal. Emissions rise to near 407o4 What's more,over 100 new waste-to- from modern incinerators are very small and not harmful. _ Polystyrene's high fuel content assists in maintaining a safe operation. ry ti And strange as it seems,polystyrene has Y a higher fuel value than wood,newspapers, z � textiles—even coal.That means it can be converted from waste to energy more effi- ., ciently than almost any other material. ® Energy Contentss Material BTU Per Pound Polystyrene Rubber10,900 Wyoming Coal 9,600 Newspaper 8,000 Corrugated Paper Boxes 7,000 - ,, ..�.� .y-,•- s ����� �, � �,�. �-; Textiles 6,900 � Ew Wood 6,700 Polystyrene Refuse Converts More Efficiently To Energy. (AMOCO IN SEARCH OF SOLUTIONS Introducing AMOCOR-PB4, made entirely of recycled polystyrene foam at Amoco's facility in Winchester, Virginia. Amocor-PB4 is applied to building foundations in commer- cial settings to create a protective barrier between the foun- dation and the external environment. As an added benefit, the material has some insulation value. Recycling polystyrene foam sandwich containers, cups, and school lunch trays into durable goods like P134 helps to pro- vide long-term solutions to our environmental problems. Amoco Foam Products Company ♦ P.O. Box 8351 ♦ Fresno, CA 93747 ♦ 209 / 252-8691 >i DISPOSABLES FOR FOODSERVICEAND PACKAGING: THE PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE WIIEREAS, a growing number of state and local WHEREAS attempting to solve waste problems governments in the U.S, propose to case problems of by minimizing the use of single service will have a landfill shortage by mandating the minimization of deleterious impact upon the availability of safe and the use of disposables for foodservice and packaging sanitary packaging for the retail sale and service of (understood here to include paper and plastic cups, foods; plates, and containers, but not bottles and cans); and THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Inter- WHEREAS foodservice disposables are esti- national Association of Milk, Food, and Environ- mated to be only one-half of onc-percent of the total mental Sanitarians affirms that single service prod- municipal solid waste burden; and ucts contribute significantly to sanitation in food- WI IEREAS paper single service articles are service and packaging and constitute an essential biodegradable and plasticware items are recyclable; clement of preventing foodborne disease. and DE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that IAMFES WHEREAS the single service industry is moving views the strategy of minimizing the use of single expeditiously to develop systems for recycling plash- problems in order to alleviate the solid waste and litter cware; and problems as a regressive step in food protection and contrary to the interests of public health. WIIEREAS the single service industry has aban- doned the use of ozone depleting, fully halogenated BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to theEnvironmental chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in the manufacture of I'mtec- polystyrene foam cups and containers for food- tion Agency Office of Solid Waste, to appropriate service; and environmental associations, such as the National En- vironmental Health Association (NEIIA), the Anted- WHEREAS banning or restricting the use of can Public Health Association (APIIA), and the Con- paper or plastic plates,cups and containers will have ference of Local Health Administrators (NCLEIIA), a minimal effect upon the nation's solid waste and to die National Conference of State Legislatures, problcrn; and the National League of Citic§, and the U.S. Confer- WHEREAS disposables for foodservice and once of Mayors. packaging continue to be a desirable sanitary alterna- - Resolution of the International Association of Milk.Food and five to r> usablcs under many conditions of modem Environmental Sanitarians,adopted in Kansas City,Missouri, food delivery; and August 15, 1989. SINGLE SERVICE NEWS October, 1989 Foodservice and Packaging Institute 1 . What are foodservice disposables? Foodservice disposables are products used only once to serve food or beverages and then discarded.Sometimes called "single service,"these items include paper and plastic cups, plates, bowls,containers,and cutlery. Foodservice disposables are used in many settings, including restaurants, hospitals,cafeterias,schools, and in takeout and home delivery. 2 . What are the solid waste management challenges facing the country? By 1990, over half of existing landfills will be closed for environmental reasons or because they are full.This creates a waste disposal dilemma, since 80%of the nation's municipal garbage, or solid waste, is landfilled.Garbage disposal costs have increased, as trash is shipped farther and farther away to available disposal areas. Communities are being forced to consider new options for handling waste,such as building new landfills,waste-to-energy incinerators,and refuse-derived fuel(RDF)plants. Increased recycling is also necessary. Each option involves costs and controversial political decisions. Difficult decisions regarding waste management must be made soon. Options that will increase waste disposal capacity take time to plan and implement, and time is very short. 3 . Why use paper and plastic cups and plates at all, when it seems they just add to solid waste? Aside from the obvious advantages—convenience,safety and sanitation of single service products compared to reusable ware—there are ecological arguments on both sides. It is true that the use of these products adds to immediate solid waste volume.Their contribution to solid waste must be weighed, however, against water pollution from detergents used in washing glass and china;energy needed to heat hot water and run dishwashing equipment;the spread of germs from unsanitary reusable ware;and injuries caused by broken glass and china. 4 . What are the disposal problems associated with the use of paper and plastic foodservice products? Foodservice disposables represent a very small portion of municipal solid waste. Dr William Rathje,an anthropologist at the University of Arizona who studies societies by analyzing their garbage, has found that all fast food packaging accounts for.26 percent of landfills by weight and .27 percent by volume. Single service items have the following effect on various methods of disposal: —RECYCLING—About 10%of U.S. solid waste is currently recovered for recycling.To date, few used paper cups and plates are recycled, primarily because of difficulties in retrieving paper products from garbage and trash. Foodservice items are also mixed with food wastes,and usually coated with wax or plastic, making them less useful to recyclers. Manufacturers of polystyrene foam foodservice packaging have initiated several projects to recycle used cups, plates,containers and trays into non-food products. Foodservice items are being collected,washed and processed for reuse. One of the most promising markets for recycled polystyrene is in construction materials;other applications are being explored. —SANITARY LANDFILLING—As mentioned earlier, most U.S.waste goes to landfills. Paper cups and containers cause no problems,since they compact readily and are biodegradable, disintegrating through bacterial action or exposure to the elements. Polyethylene-coated paper products disintegrate more slowly, but they do eventually degrade. Biodegradation in landfills does not take place quickly enough, however,to play a significant role in solid waste management. Plastic products, including polystyrene foam items,do not degrade in a landfill.They add stability,and do not contribute to environmental contamination caused by leachate or methane gas. Plastic products can be compacted or crushed to conserve space. —WASTE-TO-ENERGY INCINERATION—8-9%of solid waste in the United States is burned to produce energy. Paper and plastic products actually increase the efficiency of incineration, aiding in the burning of other materials. For example,the burning of paper produces 8,000 BTUs,significantly higher than the average of 4,500 for all municipal solid waste.The burning of polystyrene produces 17,500 BTUs, more than Wyoming coal at 9,600 BTUs and comparable to residual fuel oil at 20,900. At high temperatures and in complete combustion—conditions that normally occur in modern waste-to-energy plants—the burning of either paper or polystyrene products creates carbon dioxide and water vapor. If insufficient oxygen is present,some carbon monoxide may be produced.Combustion of plastic or paper produces very little ash. —COMPOSTING—Approximately 20%of U.S.communities include composting as an element of their solid waste program. Uncoated paper single service items make good compost material because they decompose readily due to biodegradability. Most paper foodservice items are wax or plastic-coated, however, reducing their feasibility for composting. 5 . Aren't foam cups and plates made with chemicals that deplete the stratospheric ozone layer? Some foam plastic foodservice products have, in the past, been made with chlorofluoro- carbons(CFCs). It is estimated that 30%of extruded foam disposables used fully halogenated CFCs as a blowing agent to create the foamlike quality. Ninety percent of foam cups are made with the expandable bead process,which does not use CFCs. Manufacturers of plastic foam disposables for foodservice eliminated the use of fully- halogenated CFCs from the manufacturing process during 1988.These manufacturers converted to blowing agents that are safer for the environment,such as HCFC-22, hydrocarbons,and blends of these chemicals with carbon dioxide. Manufacturing use of any chemical must conform with federal,state,and local workplace and environmental regulations. 6. Doesn't the production of plastics use up petroleum reserves? Only 2-3%of annual petroleum production goes toward the manufacture of all plastic products. Plastic products for foodservice represent a tiny fraction of this. Plastics are made from petroleum byproducts which, prior to the development of plastics, were flared off as waste. In addition,all foodservice disposables help to conserve energy by reducing electricity and hot water needed to run industrial dishwashers. 7. Doesn't the production of paper destroy trees and forests? Not at all.Single service paper products are made from pulp woods,and these trees are being grown as quickly as they are being cut.The paper industry depends on careful forest management in order to maintain and conserve its raw material supply. 8. What is the industry doing to prevent littering? Littering can be prevented through education and understanding the causes of litter.The foodservice packaging products industry supports comprehensive litter prevention programs such as Keep America Beautiful, Inc.,a non-profit organization that operates in over 13 states and 400 communities nationwide. Keep America Beautiful programs have been successful in reducing litter up to 80%. For further information, please contact the Foodservice&Packaging Institute, Inc.,the natinnal trariP accnriatinn for mani ifarti irpm of rlicnncahIp nrnrli irtc fnr fnnri narkaninn anri 1H The Foodservice and Packaging Institute, Inc., is the national trade association of manufacturers of disposable products for foodservice and packaging. Its members make and sell: • paper and plastic cups, plates, bowls,containers and trays used in commercial foodservice and in the home: • ovenable containers and trays for use in microwaves and conventional ovens: • round nested containers for packaging ice cream, cottage cheese. sour cream. yogurt and other food products: • meat and produce pre-packaging trays, •egg cartons: • linen and lace paper doilies and placemats. Formerly the Single Service Institute, Inc.. the Foodservice and Pac-aging Institute. Inc.. adopted its new name on July 1. 1987 Foodservice& j Packaging Institute,Inc. 1025 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.,Suite 513,Washington,DC 20036,(202)822-6420 SlrlqVSOdSlU 1D1AN1L_ S(1OOj .3uj`djHjysul - xYuqn-Yj'nd THE BLUE PARROT 935 NW 19TH AVENUE PORTlANO,OR 97209 MOBA MEDIA INC (503)223-1677 Oregon's broadcast monitoring service BOX 4663 PORTLAND OR T=8 SCHOOL RECYCLING WORKING ©1989 KOIN-TV CH 6 KOIN TV CH 6 All Rights Reserved 30 OCTOBER 89 5:06 PM NEWSCASTER SHIRLEY HANCOCK: Students at Portland public schools probably deserve an A+ for their efforts to recycle polystyrene. This is Recycling Awareness week, so Kim Sherwood checked into the school district's new program. REPORTER KIM SHERWOOD: This is getting to be a routine at lunch time in Portland public schools. Students and staff are actively involved in recycling polystyrene lunch trays daily. Every Tuesday and Saturday Metropolitan Service Corporation picks up the trays, about 45 to 60 pounds per school, and hauls it off to the recycler. JEFF MURRAY, RECYCLE COORDINATOR: They do a fairly good job cleaning up the material, stacking it, and it's ready to go when we show up. REPORTER: At Denton Plastics all those lunch trays are fed one at a time into a machine that grinds them into plates. A small mountain of plates. Every day school district trays produce four of these boxes of plates, which are melted down, forced into strands, and chopped into reusable pellets. This is the material of your next plastic package. There's low salvage value for polystyrene foam, so the program doesn't pay for itself. BOB HONSON, NUTRITION SERVICES: We do benefit, however, in that we have to haul less trash to the landfill, and that is becoming increasingly more expensive, so the less we haul to a landfill, the cheaper it is for us, and we gain that way. REPORTER: The cost of hauling garbage is prompting Newberg schools to begin polystyrene recycling, and other districts are inquiring, as well. MURRAY: There's always been, you know, the people that are interested in recycling, and now it's becoming practical for a business to spend the extra time and labor in recycling. REPORTER: It's hoped that another program underway at the administration building to recycle computer paper, cardboard, and other such things can be expanded to the district's smaller buildings in the near future. I'm Kim Sherwood reporting for Newsroom 6. (more) 2-2-2-2 SCHOOL RECYCLING WORKING, CH 6, 10/30/89 THE BLUE PARROT 935 NW 19TH AVENUE PORTIANO,OR 97209 NEWSCASTER: Great. And that's not all they're doing. The school district also recycles motor oil and paint thinner from all of their woodworking shops. Materia!supplied by Moba Media, fnc of Portland, Oregon may be used for internal'review, analysis, or research. Any purification,rebroadcast, or public display for profit is forbidden. jh 507 co vW01 to of Amoco Foam Products Company 14 THE CLACKAlwAS CCJU141Y JkZ V itYV The week of Urtotter 12 ihmup octoow Its, opug f ' McDonald's Continued From Page 14 The program stemmed from a number of owners, operators, j and the general public who got together with Ferris to find a solution to the solid waste dilem- ma. ' Beginning January 1990, fast- food restaurants in Portland will iycmhlevtsrrt�as ' be prohibited from using polystyrene materials. Due to '— the ban by the Portland City Council, Ferris said a misconcep- tion about polystyrene has taus- ed unprecedented fears among people. "Polystyrene is a good recyclable product," she said. We want to show the public • a+r �` that it can be recycled and we are fortunate to have a plastics RECYCLE IT — Cheri Etter, store manager for the Clackamas McDonald's reprocessor in the area who can !' Restaurant shows a new employee, Bill Bay, how the recycling program works. take the plastic materials." Customers and employees are urged to separate their plastic recyclable materials Some fast-food restaurants are when throwing away their garbage. replacing the polystyrene Photo by Donna Kemp (' materials by using wax-coated Clackamas McDonald �J Paper materials which are sent to the landfill. "It doesn't make sense replacing a recyclable pro- leads re clip „ai duct with a nonrecyclable pro- cycling cam N �n duct," Ferris said. The effort to recycle began at By Donna Kemp the Clackamas McDonald's Staff writer for Tt a Reviewbecause of the location-and the Inc. of Portland. The company uses a low-tem process to densify "county's supportive role on CLACKAMAS — McDonald's low-temperature recycling efforts," she said. Restaurant Corp. is asking customers the plastic materials to a raw form "The county has a lot of en- at its 82nd Drive location to separate which looks like "Tide powder thusiastic people who are willing their garbage before throwing it away, detergent." to make this program work." I in an effort to educate the public on Under compression the material is Besides the Clackamas loca- { recycling. formed into 8-inch pellets which are tion, seven Portland area "Recycling begins with education," used by other companies to manufac- i McDonald's and two in Eugene i' according to Susan A. Ferris, ture new products. also participate in the program. " spokesperson for the Polystyrene Plastic products used in fast-food "We hope to expand this nation- ! Packaging Council, a national plastics restaurants can be used again for non- wide," Ferris said. industry trade group. food items, such as toys and office The program is expected soon In June, the Clackamas McDonald's supplies, Ferris said. to reach about 30 McDonald's headed a pilot program on recycling, "it all starts with the customer whir cooperative restaurants around "to determine if the public was willing puts the clamshell container into the the Willamette Valley. to voluntarily sort their garbage," Fer- recyclable trash bin," she added. ris said. The cost of the program is minimal, "It's a very simple program," she Ferris said. "You have to pay a hauler said, which is intended to capture to pick up the garbage, which you polystyrene waste products such as would pay anyway." She said most of fast-food restaurant "clamshell" the program cost has been for informa- packaging and other plastics. tionai materials such as the tray liners When throwing away trash, which educate public awareness on PARROT BLUE customers are asked to place plastic recycling. THE THE NYETH AVENUE waste materials — the polystyrene The success of the program is hat PORTLAND,OR 97209 foam containers, plastic utensils, hot to measure, according to Bruce i drink cups, sundae cups, uice Holser,p orange 8 l post-consumer specialist for i cups, and drink lids — in the marked. Denton Plastics. However, he conclud- "recyclable plastics" trash bin. ed"it's successful as far as people will- By making it easier for customers to ing to separate their waste materials." separate their garbage, Ferris said, He said during pickup twice a week, 'most folks have developed a con- each time a large bag measuring ap- scious effort to recycle — they want proximately 3 feet wide and 5 feet tall o to get involved and recycle materials." is picked up."About 80 percent of that ny The plastic waste products are pick- is recyclable plastic products," Hoiser ed up twice a week by Denton Plastics said. (Amoco Foam Products Company Please See Page 16