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Board hears advocates and staff on Article 12 to ban black plastic food packaging; restaurants cite cost concerns
Summary
Advocates and public health staff described recycling and chemical concerns with black plastic food containers and urged the board to support a town-meeting warrant article. Staff noted restaurant survey results and peer-city experience; the board directed staff to prepare any needed materials and indicated support for a public-health position.
Advocates and public health staff told the Needham Board of Health that black plastic used in food packaging poses recycling and chemical exposure concerns and encouraged support for Article 12 on the special town meeting warrant, which would ban black plastic food containers.
"We're asking to ban black plastic because it really has no business being part of our food packaging," said Kathy of Green Needham during the public-comment portion. Staff presenters summarized research showing black plastic is often not detected by recycling-sorting sensors, commonly winds up in the waste stream, and may incorporate flame…
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