Page 52 - Plastics News May 2017

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

New York City reintroduces EPS ban

ew York City is taking another run at expanded Westerfield called the new approach inconsistent with
Npolystyrene food service packaging with a new ban the previous court ruling, “It’s wrong for struggling small
slated to take hold later this year. The city Department businesses, restaurants and taxpayers and it will actually
of Sanitation is out with another determination that make it harder for the City to meet Mayor de Blasio’s
food service EPS "cannot be recycled in a manner that is OneNYC goal of Zero Waste by 2030.” he said in the email.
economically feasible or environmentally effective for
New York City," according to a new report. Organisation set up to support

But an opponent of a ban, Michael Westerfield, corporate PVC use in cables
director of recycling programs at Dart Container Corp.,
questioned the move. “In the words of a great New Yorker h e ECV M (Eu rope a n Cou n cil for Vin yl
Yogi Berra, ‘It’s déjà vu all over again’ as the New York TManufacturers) has established a new platform
Department of Sanitation (DSNY) has again issued a baffling to support the PVC cables supply chain. PVC4cables
declaration determining that Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) was launched at the PVC 2017 Conference in Brighton,
foam cannot be recycled,” he wrote in an email. bringing together the producers of PVC resins, stabilisers
He said the latest move is “in direct conflict with both and plasticisers, and open for participation by PVC
fact and a 2015 NY Supreme Court ruling striking down” compounders and PVC cables producers. PVC4cables
a previous city ban on food service EPS. New York has intends to act as a driver for environmentally
been an EPS battleground in recent years as Mayor Bill de responsible innovations in the PVC cables sector and
Blasio and the city’s Department of Sanitation have had as a focal point for dialogue and communications with
food service EPS in their crosshairs. EPS backers were able all stakeholders: compounds and cable producers,
to get a 2015 city ban on EPS overturned in state court, regulators, specifiers, installers, electricians, media
leaving the city administration vowing to return fire at and the public. Accounting for 46 per cent of the cables
some point. Well, that point is now with a 44-page report market in Europe, PVC is the most used polymer for
that lays out the city’s rationale for banning the material electric and telecommunication cables. Wires and
effective Nov. 13. cables represent today the largest application sector
“No food service establishment, mobile food commissary, for flexible PVC in Europe, absorbing around 7 per
or store shall possess, sell, or offer for use single-service cent of the PVC resins manufactured. Zdenek Hruska,
articles that consist of expanded polystyrene,” the PVC4cables Project Manager, said: “PVC cables are one
report states, unless otherwise exempted. “In addition, of the key application markets in Europe and one of the
no manufacturer or store shall sell or offer for sale main sources of recycled PVC.
polystyrene loose fill packaging,” the report states. The “With this initiative, we aim to provide a valuable point
city will not issue violations until May 14, 2018.
of reference for the entire PVC cables value chain and
New York maintains that EPS food services items are its stakeholders. We are confident that PVC4cables
difficult and uneconomical to recycle, with some will enhance cooperation among PVC resins, additives,
municipalities simply throwing the material away once compounds and cables producers to promote the
it is removed from other recyclables. The city also technical and functional benefits of PVC cables, and will
maintains the material contaminates other valuable stimulate research and innovation to further improve
recycling streams. The city alleges there has been no self- products’ quality and sustainability.”
sustaining food service EPS recycling program, without
the aid of outside funding, in the last 30 years. A group Carlo Ciotti, President of the Italian PVC Forum, said:
called the Restaurant Action Alliance, however, has taken “The PVC cables value chain is engaged in the research
a different view on the matter. That group, along with and development of new formulations to ensure
Dart, was able to successfully block implementation of maximum safety and protection of the environment
the initial ban in 2015. The alliance represents restaurant and the health of users and consumers. Thanks to the
owners in the city. When the 2015 lawsuit was filed, the European PVC industry’s sustainability programmes, the
groups alleged the city made its decision “without a sound PVC cables value chain is well positioned to steadily
basis in reason and generally without regard to the facts.” moving towards a true model of circular economy.”

Plastics News | May 2017 52