City Council President Wants to Ban Styrofoam Cups in Boston

At Wednesday's Boston City Council meeting, Council President Stephen Murphy reintroduced an order from 2009, calling for a citywide ban on styrofoam cups.

"The styrofoam is nonbiodegradable and lasts for hundreds and hundreds of years in landfills," said Murphy, who reminded his peers that 10 of them supported the order in 2009 (with the other three not being on the council). 

Murphy said more than 111 municipalities have banned them across the country, and that locally, Brookline is debating a ban now. "It’s sound public policy. (I'm) just asking for it to go to the appropriate committee and seeing if we can get behind it in the city."

Here are statistics on styrofoam from Livestrong.com, including: 

• Styrofoam and Styrofoam products fill up 30 percent of our landfill space, and landfills are quickly becoming full.
• A Recycling Revolution reports that packaging material makes up one-third of an average dump.

The order was referred to the Committee on Environment and Human Rights.