CARMEL – It was a bitter pill to swallow for Putnam County Legislator Barbara Scuccimarra when her colleagues on the Health Committee refused to pass a resolution banning polystyrene containers countywide and bring the matter to the full legislature for a vote at the lawmakers’ year-end meeting.
Scuccimarra, who leaves office on December 31, championed the Putnam initiative to ban the use of the non-biodegradable substance charging “there was no meaningful recycling of polystyrene food containers. It takes 500 years for polystyrene to decompose. Polystyrene clogs our waters and damages wildlife.”
Polystyrene foam disposable food service containers have been a fond memory in county governmental circles since 2015 after the legislature approved banning the environmental pollutant from use by county governmental agencies such as the Office for Senior Resources, sheriff’s office and Putnam County Golf Course.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Scuccimarra told her colleagues “The useful life of a Styrofoam cup is five minutes. When the clam shells are placed in a microwave, the chemicals from the polystyrene leach out into the food which is a carcinogen. Dutchess County had banned all use of polystyrene foam. People are becoming aware but we are not there yet. Styrofoam is unhealthy to drink from.”
While Legislator Carl Albano expressed support for the ban, Legislator Ginny Nacerino forecast the eventual banning will “take care of itself. All legislators should be present to have their points of view expressed and since Legislators Joe Castellano, Neal Sullivan and Paul Jonke are not here this evening, there is no rush to push this through tonight.”
Only large businesses or corporations were to have been affected by the proposed current Styrofoam container ban including Applebee’s, Burger King, Carvel, Dunkin Donuts and McDonald’s, all in the Brewster area; Carvel, Dunkin Donuts, KFC, McDonald’s, Salsa Fresca, Starbucks and Wendy’s in Carmel; Dunkin Donuts in Cold Spring; Dunkin Donuts in Kent; Carvel, Dominos, Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds in Mahopac and Dunkin Donuts and Papa John’s in Patterson.
Albano said the adoption of the local law contained “no down side. It’s only positive. It’s a health issue and an environmental issue.”
William Gouldman was fearful that local businesses would be adversely impacted by the ban but Scuccimarra said “merchants want to make their customers happy. Many consumers tell me when they walk into a business and ask for a container of coffee, if that beverage is delivered in Styrofoam, they walk out of the store. The public wants the change since mandating food service establishments to use another material for food packaging will help to significantly reduce the use of single food plastics countywide. ”
Gouldman wouldn’t budge. “All we are doing is pinpointing certain businesses and placing another law on the books.”
Sayegh suggested if residents want such a ban “let them reach out to this legislature. The law will be good for the environment but the people must tell us if they want it on the books or not.”
Scuccimarra was visibly disappointed that in her final meeting the proposed legislation failed in committee. She called on her colleagues to approve the bill in 2019 before adjourning the session and quietly leaving the meeting room.
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