SB 568 - Banning Polystyrene Foam Food Containers

• The existing law requires all rigid plastic bottles and rigid plastic containers sold in the state to be labeled with a code that indicates the resin used to produce these containers. The California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989 requires every rigid plastic packaging container, as defined, sold or offered in the state to generally meet one of specified criteria.
• Senate Bill 568 would prohibit a food vendor, on or after January 1, 2013, from dispensing prepared food to a customer in a polystyrene foam food container.
• Proponents of SB 568 argue that foam polystyrene is not recyclable, while replacement products are. Opponents of the bill point out that recycling any package that is contaminated with food waste -- whether it is plastic, paper or foam -- presents a recycling challenge.
• Read the text of SB 568. (Requires Acrobat Reader)