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Committee advances expanded polystyrene ban to full Board with amendments
Summary
The committee forwarded an ordinance to ban sales of polystyrene foodware and other polystyrene products to the full Board with amendments and waiver provisions, after extensive public comment from environmental groups and the foam industry.
The Government Audit and Oversight Committee voted without objection June 16 to forward an ordinance expanding San Francisco’s restrictions on polystyrene products to the full Board with amendments and implementation leeway for some product categories.
Sponsor remarks framed the ordinance as a continuation of San Francisco’s 2007 foodware restrictions and described the proposed measure as "the toughest anti‑polystyrene law in the country," adding new product categories and a waiver process for where feasible alternatives do not exist.
Debbie Rafael, director of the Department of the Environment, summarized the department's support: "polystyrene foam creates a unique problem in the environment," she said, citing its tendency to fragment into microplastics and its poor recyclability in practice. The department told the committee it would provide a waiver process for cold medical shipping and implement phased approaches for items like meat trays.
Public comment included environmental advocates and scientists who urged broader coverage to reduce microplastic pollution in the Bay and on beaches. Clean Water Action’s Miriam Gordon cited local research estimating polystyrene accounted for about 8 percent of microplastics in the Bay. Surfrider and the Bay Institute also spoke in favor of expansion.
Industry speakers urged caution. A representative from ACH Foam Technologies and others argued some transport and shipping packaging exemptions required closer life‑cycle and supply‑chain analysis. Recology and the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce said they had worked with the Department of the Environment and supported phased compliance and waiver language.
The sponsor outlined small amendments to clarify findings, extend implementation time for meat trays and include carefully scoped waiver provisions, then moved the ordinance forward to the full Board as amended with a positive recommendation; the motion passed without objection at committee.
Next steps: The measure will be considered by the full Board of Supervisors; the Department of the Environment will administer waivers and work with businesses on compliance.
