Styrofoam Ban in Pasadena Moves Closer to Reality With Monday Council Vote

The Pasadena City Council on Monday unanimously approved the first reading of a new ordinance to ban the use of polystyrene – commonly referred to as Styrofoam – used to carry prepared food and beverages in Pasadena.

The creation of the ordinance was originally authorized by a vote of the Council on May 9. Before becoming law, the ordinance will be introduced again in a second reading at a date to be scheduled.

The ordinance will add a Chapter 8.67 to Title 8 of the Pasadena Municipal Code, once it is finally approved. According to the City Council staff report, it will prohibit “Disposable Food Service Ware” or “disposables,” meaning “single-use, disposable products used for serving or transporting prepared food, including but not limited to plates, bowls, trays, wrappers or wrapping, platters, cartons, clamshells, condiment containers, cups or drink ware or any other container in or on which prepared foods are placed or packaged for consumption.”

The ordinance does not include straws, cup-lids, or utensils, nor does it include packaging for unprepared foods.

A representative of restaurant owners spoke out against the ban, citing its possible economic effects on small business owners.

“Banning polystyrene will have a tremendous negative impact on our members, who are already facing razor-thin profit margins and who are burdened by the ever-increasing cost of doing business, including due to the recent minimum wage increase – yet the ordinance will do nothing to achieve the city’s purported goal of reducing litter and waste,” said Veronica Perez, speaking on behalf of the California Restaurant Association.

“Even more concerning,” Perez continued, “is the fact that the draft ordinance also bans rigid polystyrene, a move that was never discussed with local restaurant owners but that will have even more severe negative impacts on the hard-working men and women who own Pasadena’s restaurants. Even more concerning is the fact that the draft ordinance also bans rigid polystyrene, a move that was never discussed with local restaurant owners but that will have even more severe negative impacts on the hard-working men and women who own Pasadena’s restaurants.”

Craig Cadwallader, speaking on behalf of the Surfrider Foundation, pointed out, however, that there are recyclable substitutes for rigid polystyrene, the clear solid plastic often used to package leftovers in restaurants.

Cadwallader also noted that in all to the previous city cases in which he has advocated to ban styrofoam, there has been “no evidence of hardship on the part of business owners, and no restaurant owners have asked to take advantage of built-in hardship clauses in the ordinances.