Now that our city council has passed the first reading of their ordinance banning plastic Styrofoam from the city, they must look past cups and containers and consider that Styrofoam (foamed polystyrene) is also used as an electrical and thermal insulator in our homes, cars and medical devices, used by kids in craft projects, implants and in packaging the goods we ship and receive. The city must be prepared to begin searching the picnic baskets of beachgoers and the building department must inspect the insulation of our homes and businesses for the illegal use of Styrofoam. Classrooms must be searched for Styrofoam being used in children’s projects and the sheriffs must be ordered to search all cars entering the city for the use of Styrofoam in their manufacture. The city must notify the Post Office, UPS and FedEx to return all packages addressed to Malibu which contain Styrofoam packaging material.
Uneven enforcement of this ruling may result in even more lawsuits against the city.
Gardening tip: For healthier root systems, aerate by mixing discarded Styrofoam with your plant mix. Dow Chemical Company’s inert, food safe formulation will be a lasting aid to your garden’s health.
Jack Singleton