Posted on 02/14/2013 12:57:17 PM PST by SeekAndFind
We all saw it coming and now its happening New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is going to announce an official ban on styrofoam containers in his State of the City address today. Just to clarify once again, uppercase Styrofam is a trademarked product used in insulation, while what we all know as styrofoam is really extruded polystyrene. Moving on!
The ban on styrofoam is part of a larger program the mayor has planned for his last year in office, which will also include more recycling, a curbside food-composting pilot program and more electric vehicles cruising the city streets.
His office released a few portions of his speech ahead of time where its clear his focus is on improving the citys environment. This, after pushing through initiatives like a ban on large, sugary drinks to improve the public health.
There will be a new requirement for 20% of all new public parking spaces to include spots to charge electric vehicles, reports Bloomberg News, which would mean 10,000 new spots in the next seven years after the City Council approves it.
And for those residents who are sick of having a large plastic bin full of food waste in their refrigerator that their roommate hasnt hauled to the compost drop-off spot in months (ahem), a new program to begin collecting compost would kick off in State Island and go citywide if it works out.
And then theres the styrofoam, that ubiquitous white substances that cradles hot deli delights and cups full of street cart coffee alike.
One product that is virtually impossible to recycle and never bio-degrades is styrofoam, Bloomberg is planning on saying. Something that we know is environmentally destructive and that may be hazardous to our health, that is costing taxpayers money and that we can easily do without, and is something that should go the way of lead paint.
That plastic foam makes up about 20,000 tons of the citys waste each year, said the mayors office. A ban would need to be approved by the City Council and if it goes through, will join similar actions taken in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle. Things are getting very West Coast around here, eh?
In addition, Bloomberg wants to double the citys recycling rate to 30% by 2017 by doubling the 2,000 containers that the public uses to sort its waste. A new recycling plant will also open in Brooklyn to accept plastic that wasnt able to be recycled before like salad containers and yogurt cups.
It remains to be seen how restaurants and other food establishments will take the styrofoam ban, but if it costs more to use more environmentally-friendly containers, were sure it wont be a pleasant reaction.
Don’t forget, all the “doggie bags” are put in styrofoam containers!
Donald Trump should run for Mayor of NYC and give these control freaks a reality check.
This guy is a total idiot. He says it adds $20 to the cost of recycling per ton because they have to remove it from the recycling stream. Hey, here’s an idea - don’t mess with the reycling part of it.
Let me guess, the businesses that are building new parking lots.
On a related note, where will the electricity be generated for said chargers. Let me guess, not solar or wind, but the eeeeevil Indian Point.
I’m surprised Bloomturd hasn’t insisted that the name be changed to “Native American Point”.
RE: eeeeevil Indian Point.
There’s a serious push to close this Nuclear Power Plant.
Problem: It supplies nearly a quarter of NYC’s power. They have not even come close to identifying a feasible replacement.
‘And exactly who is going to pay for the electricity?’
And exactly who is going to use the parking spaces?
...a curbside food-composting pilot program...
The rats are going to love that!
The city already smells, this will make it worse...
They are banning drink and medicine coolers? Picnickers will be arrested? Fined? Have cops come and grab their hot cups and coolers? Has Yogi Bear been enlisted for this?
He has also outlawed dog-sh*t in the streets and sidewalks. From now on all owners are to send their dog-sh*t in a box to Gracie Mansion so Dumberg will have something to eat.
Thank you, God, for not letting me be born a New Yorker.
In his youth, Bloomturd wore a styrofoam cup when he played ice hockey. That is why he is now suffering from extreme brain damage.
How else can you explain his lunacy?
The ‘turd is so out of touch with working people...
I don’t know who owns Indian Point, however the owners of Vermont Yankee successfully sued the State whey they tried to shut it down recently. VT Yankee supplies somewhere between 1/4 and 1/3 of the power for VT.
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