The in-the-works plan to ban styrofoam in the city (or at least make businesses that use the stuff pay for its disposal) got a big boost yesterday when New York's banner-in-chief, Mayor Bloomberg, spoke in favor of it.
"Landfills cost us a lot of money," Bloomberg told reporters yesterday morning. "If we could recycle a lot of stuff, it would be much better for the environment and better for our bottom line. And we’re looking at a lot of things. One of the things you might want to do — and a lot of other places have — is ban things like Styrofoam that don’t … degrade quickly in landfills."
So now what? Well, an actual ban or change in rules regarding styrofoam (technically extended polystyrene) has to be officially drafted and approved. So your Dunkin' Donuts coffee should remain hot for a while longer. Meanwhile, on the plus side, the ban currently being drafted is kind to regular folk. "The onus would not be on the consumer," Ron Gonen, deputy commissioner for recycling and sustainability, assures New Yorkers.
