In Plymouth, whenever anything is brought to the attention of the Board of Health that has a potential public health issue involved, the
Board reviews the matter to determine what can be done. The use of polystyrene or Styrofoam takeout containers is one of those issues resulting in the Board’s scheduling a public forum on the subject—and that takes place this Thursday, January 30th.
WATD’s Bobbi Clark has more..
Chairman of the Board of Health Barry Potvin has this to say about polystyrene…
“…it’s not only an environmental hazard because you can’t recycle that stuff—it has to go into the trash and it just doesn’t break down.”
But, that’s not the only concern about polystyrene:
“The other problem with polystyrene and Styrofoam particularly, is that whenever it’s in something that comes into direct contact with hot, or even warm liquids or foods, it actually leeches something called styrene, and the styrene is a known carcinogen which does increase the cancer rates.”
And, it’s possible that the use of polystyrene takeout containers could be banned as a result of the public forum this week:
“The net result could be, and often is, a regulation which the Board of Health discusses in an open public meeting and then incorporates into a regulation.”
In this case, Potvin says… “…it could result in a banning of the use of Styrofoam and takeout containers by the Plymouth restaurants and food suppliers—with some delay so that the stocks can be used up.”
The public forum is Thursday, January 30th, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Great Room at Town Hall.
In Plymouth, Bobbi Clark, WATD News.