Reading To Consider Polystyrene Ban At Town Meeting

READING, MA — Reading businesses may soon have to do away with disposable polystyrene products as a proposed ban on those products gets set to come before Town Meeting next month.

Sponsored by the Reading Climate Advisory Committee, the polystyrene bylaw would bar any food establishments in Reading from using or distributing polystyrene foam or rigid food containers. The ban would also prohibit polystyrene cutlery or other single-use polystyrene products.

The town of Reading noted this proposal this week, saying that the restriction would apply to all food establishments in Reading, including everything from restaurants to farmers markets to civic or religious centers.

Reading’s elected Town Meeting will take up the proposal on Nov. 14.

The bylaw, is approved, would set forth a six-month grace period before taking effect.

The full text of the proposed bylaw is available through next month’s Town Meeting warrant. In part, the bylaw says it aims to “limit the distribution of polystyrene food service containers and utensils by food establishments in the Town.”

The bylaw aims to push establishments to either switch to “healthier and more environmentally friendly materials,” switch to reusable items, or change practices to no longer require such containers or utensils.

The bylaw contains some exceptions, allowing prepackaged meat and produce trays, egg cartons and other food or beverage products bought or packaged from an outside supplier.

Polystyrene products would also still be allowed for private use and for use unrelated to food service, such as in the form of packing peanuts or freezer chests, according to the proposed bylaw text.

The bylaw would allow six-month waivers for establishments that show “either unavailability of suitable alternative containers or economic hardship.”

Outside of waivers, though, any establishment found to violate this bylaw, if approved, would face a series of penalties, ranging from a warning for a first offense, to a $50 fine for a second offense to a $200 fine for all additional offenses.

A polystyrene ban in Reading would see the town join multiple area communities that have taken similar action against polystyrene.

Proponents of these measures have pointed to health and environmental risks of polystyrene, saying the products can release contaminants under certain conditions, while physically fragmenting and polluting environments.

Opponents of a "yes" vote at Town Meeting next month have, among other things, noted concerns about the level of outreach to date, as well as feared financial impacts on businesses already struggling with current economic conditions.

The Select Board ultimately voted to place the proposed polystyrene bylaw on the Town Meeting warrant by a split 3-2 vote on Sept. 20.

Select Board Chair Mark Dockser backed the move alongside Karen Gately Herrick and Jacqueline McCarthy. Christopher Haley and Carlo Bacci voted no.

See the full Nov. 14 Town Meeting warrant here.