Open Letter: Halton Region Polystyrene Recyling
To whom it may concern at the Region of Halton,
My name is Victor Rodriguez and I am a resident in Oakville.
I am very concerned about the fact that polystyrene (Styrofoam) is being used and landfilled in Halton. Research shows that polystyrene never really biodegrades; instead it just breaks down into smaller pieces. The material has also been associated with health risks in humans as benzene, a known carcinogen, can leach from the packaging into the food. Over 20 US cities have already banned polystyrene food packaging, and recently a Toronto organization, NaturoPack, has began a campaign to ban it here as well.
You are likely aware of the fact that in 2008 Halton Waste Management stopped accepting polystyrene for blue box collection. This was indicated on the waste management calendar distributed to residents as well as on the region's website.
http://www.halton.ca/ppw/waste/bluebox.htm
The rationale behind the decision to no longer accept polystyrene for recycling was outlined on the region's website:
"Due to problems with the quality of the material -- it becomes contaminated with broken glass and food residue -- much of the polystyrene is being rejected at the recycling plant. The only known recycling plant in Ontario recently shut down and the market for this material is very unstable at this time. The Region will continue to investigate the feasibility of recycling this material in the future."
Indeed, the plant in question was run by the Canadian Polystyrene Recycling Association (CPRA) and closed sometime around the end of 2007.
http://www.mississauga.com/article/9785
The good news is that recently the CPRA has begun to accept polystyrene containers again. This is outlined in the following blurb from the City of Toronto's website:
"Polystyrene accepted at Community Environment Days
Effective immediately, polystyrene (e.g. meat trays, take-out food containers, molded bakery item trays, foam dishes, egg cartons, shipping foam, etc.) will be collected at Community Environment Day events and at some City Drop-off Depots. When the spring 2008 issue of Waste Watch was being printed, Ontario's only recycler of these products had closed its doors. The Canadian Polystyrene Recycling Alliance (CPRA) is now accepting this material."
http://www.toronto.ca/garbage/index.htm
I would encourage the region to contact the CPRA as soon as possible with the goal of diverting polystyrene waste from our landfills. The City of Toronto's solid waste department can be contacted for information at 416-396-4771. As a long-term goal, I would encourage the region to discourage or ban polystyrene food packaging.
Thank you for your time,
Victor Rodriguez
My name is Victor Rodriguez and I am a resident in Oakville.
I am very concerned about the fact that polystyrene (Styrofoam) is being used and landfilled in Halton. Research shows that polystyrene never really biodegrades; instead it just breaks down into smaller pieces. The material has also been associated with health risks in humans as benzene, a known carcinogen, can leach from the packaging into the food. Over 20 US cities have already banned polystyrene food packaging, and recently a Toronto organization, NaturoPack, has began a campaign to ban it here as well.
You are likely aware of the fact that in 2008 Halton Waste Management stopped accepting polystyrene for blue box collection. This was indicated on the waste management calendar distributed to residents as well as on the region's website.
http://www.halton.ca/ppw/waste
The rationale behind the decision to no longer accept polystyrene for recycling was outlined on the region's website:
"Due to problems with the quality of the material -- it becomes contaminated with broken glass and food residue -- much of the polystyrene is being rejected at the recycling plant. The only known recycling plant in Ontario recently shut down and the market for this material is very unstable at this time. The Region will continue to investigate the feasibility of recycling this material in the future."
Indeed, the plant in question was run by the Canadian Polystyrene Recycling Association (CPRA) and closed sometime around the end of 2007.
http://www.mississauga.com
The good news is that recently the CPRA has begun to accept polystyrene containers again. This is outlined in the following blurb from the City of Toronto's website:
"Polystyrene accepted at Community Environment Days
Effective immediately, polystyrene (e.g. meat trays, take-out food containers, molded bakery item trays, foam dishes, egg cartons, shipping foam, etc.) will be collected at Community Environment Day events and at some City Drop-off Depots. When the spring 2008 issue of Waste Watch was being printed, Ontario's only recycler of these products had closed its doors. The Canadian Polystyrene Recycling Alliance (CPRA) is now accepting this material."
http://www.toronto.ca/garbage
I would encourage the region to contact the CPRA as soon as possible with the goal of diverting polystyrene waste from our landfills. The City of Toronto's solid waste department can be contacted for information at 416-396-4771. As a long-term goal, I would encourage the region to discourage or ban polystyrene food packaging.
Thank you for your time,
Victor Rodriguez
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