Page 29 - Plastics News September 2021

INTERNATIoNAL NEwS

Capetown Businesses Support Plastic Water California Might Ban

Bottle Ban, Seek Substitutes PFAS In Packaging

he California State Legislature has
Tpassed a bill banning the use of
perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl
substances (PFAS) in food packaging,
utensils and paper straws. Assembly Bill
1200 prohibits the manufacture, sale
and distribution of any food packaging
containing PFAS in California.From 1
January 2023, paper, paperboard and
plant-based food packaging, utensils
and paper straws containing PFAS
will be banned. The bill also requires
manufacturers to label cookware
containing toxic chemicals on product
y the time summer rolls around if they consider the environmental
Bnext year, Cape tourists will go to impact of their consumption choices, handles or coatings. This requirement
will come into effect from 1 January
the grocery store near their vacation she said. In 2019, the Conservation 2024.From 2023, manufacturers will
home to gather supplies for the beach, Law Foundation advocated for bans on have to publish a list of chemicals used
and might do a double-take when trying plastic bottles, cups, straws and bags, in their pots, pans and other cookware
to find store-bought water. Ten towns citing environmental and human health on their websites. In addition, the
on the Cape have voted to ban single- concerns in production and recycling. bill prohibits cookware companies
use plastic water bottles. That ban The organization also referenced low from making false marketing claims
went into effect recently for Brewster, recycling rates that the Environmental regarding PFAS content. Assembly
Wellfleet, Falmouth, Harwich, Orleans Protection Agency estimated at 8.7% in member Phil Ting, who authored
and Provincetown. Other towns’ bans 2018 for all plastics produced in the U.S. the bill, said: “When it comes to our
will be implemented over the next For businesses who have already made food, we must ensure safety. “Under
several months. Eastham’s will take effect the change from plastic to alternatives, it federal regulations, companies are
Sept. 21, Dennis and Chatham’s ban has been a shaky but necessary change. allowed to self-certify that a chemical
will start December 31 and Sandwich Since the bans took effect in multiple
will ban single-use plastic water bottles towns, Venkatesan said, Sustainable
starting January 2022. While every Practices has seen towns enforce it well
town on the Cape has banned the sale and the product be eliminated from the
of plastic bottled beverages on town shelves.The problem, however, is that the
property, even more could be following mentality hasn’t changed, she said. Some
in line with the retail ban. Mashpee, for residents have taken to social media to
instance, is slated to vote on a measure complain about the ban, citing concerns they’ve added to food packaging is
to ban the commercial sale of single-use safe. That’s not good enough for me.
plastic water bottles at its Oct. 18 town about alternatives. Plastic is a convenient “Manufacturers should be mandated
meeting. “Our intention in putting in product, but it comes at a high cost. to use safer alternatives.” The bill
these bans and focusing on this effort The group’s whole campaign is about secured 36-0 approval in the Senate
was to get people to start to think about reduction as a whole, not substitution, and received a bipartisan, unanimous
their consumption beyond what is in a she said. The next step, Venkatesan vote of 60-0 in the state Assembly.
store,” said Madhavi Venkatesan, founder said, is to pass the single-use plastic The legislation is expected to be signed
and executive director of Sustainable water bottle ban in the rest of the Cape into law by California Governor Gavin
Practices, a group that pushed for the towns. Then the group will move to ban Newsom. If signed, California will be
bans of single-use plastic bottles in each all single-use plastic and move toward the seventh US state to ban the use of
Cape town.People can make a difference compostables. PFAS in food packaging.

29 PLASTICS NEWS SEPTEMBER 2021