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BOH asks staff to request vendor stop selling silly string; DPH may pilot Alpha-Gal training on island
Summary
The Board asked staff to draft a voluntary letter to vendor Mardell's requesting they stop selling silly string at the July 8 street fair due to microplastic and PFAS concerns, and received an update that DPH may pilot Alpha-Gal awareness training for food-service allergen certification on Martha's Vineyard.
Staff raised environmental concerns about the sale of silly string at the July 8 street fair, noting residues become microplastics that enter stormwater and the harbor and require clean-up by Public Works. The Board concluded there was insufficient time to enact a formal ban for this year but directed staff to draft a voluntary letter to the primary vendor, Mardell's, asking them not to sell silly string; the draft will be circulated to Board members before sending.
Separately, Health Agent Drew Belsky reported on a DPH meeting about tick-borne illness and Alpha-Gal Syndrome; the Commissioner is considering incorporating Alpha-Gal awareness into state food-service allergen certification and may select Martha's Vineyard as a pilot site. Board members took this as informational and asked staff to continue discussions with DPH.
