The bill is officially signed into law and the executive expansion is moving forward. Seeing our county finally commit to ending this toxic waste in our food containers is a relief for my family and the health of our local environment. We proved that persistence pays off and I am …
May 22, 2017
Final supporters
We, the undersigned residents of Albany County, support the expansion of the ban on Styrofoam (polystyrene) for commercial establishments that sell take-out food and drinks in Albany County. The current ban covers establishments with 15 or more locations. An expanded ban would cover all establishments that sell take-out food and drinks. This law will save valuable landfill space, safeguard our health, reduce the spread of toxins to our waterways and food chain and reduce our use of fossil fuels.
On 9/12/18, the Albany County Executive signed the bill into law and then added an executive order to even expand our initiative. He acknowledged that this would not have happened without grassroots support. The newsletter News from the Neighborhood will keep you updated on our next effort--banning the use plastic shopping bags. Thank you for caring about the environment, about our future.
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More info.: [email protected]Click here for a fact sheet: http://www.cleanwater.org/files/publications/ca/cwa_fact_sheet_polystyrene_litter_2011_03.pdf
Updates
Reached 1,000 supporters
March 7, 2017
March 6, 2017
Seeing the count climb toward one thousand gives me so much hope that we can finally clean up our county. Please send the link to three neighbors right now so we can hit this goal and show the local council we mean business.
December 15, 2016
I have been reading through the comments and seeing how many people share my fear about the toxins leaking into our local waterways. This fight is far from over because our environment needs us to push for policies that actually protect our future.
Reached 100 supporters
December 14, 2016
December 13, 2016
Watching this count climb toward one hundred reminds me how many people in this county care about the health of our waterways. Please blast this link out to your local groups right now because we need to hit our goal to show the council we are serious.
399 Comments
Businesses existed and were successful for many years, before styrofoam was available, and it's only the low cost (according to the owner of the Pearl Street Diner) that keeps them using it. But we more than pay for that in environmental, landfill and disposal expenses!
This is the right thing to do and long overdue. For the restaurants that resist,they need to know that if we get our takeout or leftovers in styrofoam,we ask for cardboard or advise them that we won't be back. There are consequences. GW
As a packaging science minor, there are alternatives to styrofoam that are not as harmful to our environment- policy change will give them an incentive to be more widely used (such as ecovative's mycelium packaging in Green Island). Please ban styrofoam!
I am discusted by the fact that many of our schools have to serve food on styrofoam in the cafeteria while in the classrooms they teach the children to take care of the planet and recycle. There are inexpensive alternatives available.
I live on a sub-arterial in Troy and pick up several of these to-go containers daily. Some significant percentage must come from across the river in Albany county. I would love for the trash I pick up to go into my recycling or compost instead of the garbage.
We're at a crisis with these one-time items that don't degrade. It's time to act.
Please please stop allowing styrofoam to be allowed!! Nobody seems to want to recycle it and it never breaks down. Every day I pick up someone else’s styrofoam trash that has blown into my yard. Thank you.
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The bill is officially signed into law and the executive expansion is moving forward. Seeing our county finally commit to ending this toxic waste in our food containers is a relief for my family and the health of our local environment. We proved that persistence pays off and I am …
May 22, 2017
Final supporters
We, the undersigned residents of Albany County, support the expansion of the ban on Styrofoam (polystyrene) for commercial establishments that sell take-out food and drinks in Albany County. The current ban covers establishments with 15 or more locations. An expanded ban would cover all establishments that sell take-out food and drinks. This law will save valuable landfill space, safeguard our health, reduce the spread of toxins to our waterways and food chain and reduce our use of fossil fuels.
On 9/12/18, the Albany County Executive signed the bill into law and then added an executive order to even expand our initiative. He acknowledged that this would not have happened without grassroots support. The newsletter News from the Neighborhood will keep you updated on our next effort--banning the use plastic shopping bags. Thank you for caring about the environment, about our future.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More info.: [email protected]Click here for a fact sheet: http://www.cleanwater.org/files/publications/ca/cwa_fact_sheet_polystyrene_litter_2011_03.pdf
Updates
Reached 1,000 supporters
March 7, 2017
March 6, 2017
Seeing the count climb toward one thousand gives me so much hope that we can finally clean up our county. Please send the link to three neighbors right now so we can hit this goal and show the local council we mean business.
December 15, 2016
I have been reading through the comments and seeing how many people share my fear about the toxins leaking into our local waterways. This fight is far from over because our environment needs us to push for policies that actually protect our future.
Reached 100 supporters
December 14, 2016
December 13, 2016
Watching this count climb toward one hundred reminds me how many people in this county care about the health of our waterways. Please blast this link out to your local groups right now because we need to hit our goal to show the council we are serious.
399 Comments
Polystyrene foam is theoretically recyclable, but as a practical matter no-one does because it is very low density (for each piece you handle, you get only a tiny amount of plastic back), and it is usually contaminated with food. So let's go with the compostable alternatives!
Businesses existed and were successful for many years, before styrofoam was available, and it's only the low cost (according to the owner of the Pearl Street Diner) that keeps them using it. But we more than pay for that in environmental, landfill and disposal expenses!
This is the right thing to do and long overdue. For the restaurants that resist,they need to know that if we get our takeout or leftovers in styrofoam,we ask for cardboard or advise them that we won't be back. There are consequences. GW
As a packaging science minor, there are alternatives to styrofoam that are not as harmful to our environment- policy change will give them an incentive to be more widely used (such as ecovative's mycelium packaging in Green Island). Please ban styrofoam!
I am discusted by the fact that many of our schools have to serve food on styrofoam in the cafeteria while in the classrooms they teach the children to take care of the planet and recycle. There are inexpensive alternatives available.
I live on a sub-arterial in Troy and pick up several of these to-go containers daily. Some significant percentage must come from across the river in Albany county. I would love for the trash I pick up to go into my recycling or compost instead of the garbage.
We're at a crisis with these one-time items that don't degrade. It's time to act.
Please please stop allowing styrofoam to be allowed!! Nobody seems to want to recycle it and it never breaks down. Every day I pick up someone else’s styrofoam trash that has blown into my yard. Thank you.
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Polystyrene foam is theoretically recyclable, but as a practical matter no-one does because it is very low density (for each piece you handle, you get only a tiny amount of plastic back), and it is usually contaminated with food. So let's go with the compostable alternatives!