Proposed plastic straw ban raises concerns for disabled
NORWALK — A proposed citywide ban on polystyrene, better known as its brand name Styrofoam, took a step forward this week, while plans to ban singleuse plastic straws are getting revised.
Singleuse plastic straws enable many people with disabilities to participate in everyday events, such as going out to dinner or getting a drink with friends, Anna Keegan, the city’s acting director of Human Relations and Fair Rent department and Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator, told the Ordinance Committee of the Common Council on Tuesday.
“It’s a huge part of their independence,” she said. “It lets them go out and eat and drink.”
Keegan said many of the more environmentally friendly options, such as metal, paper or biodegradable products, can be harmful for those with disabilities.
“We really hope someday there will be some better alternatives,” Keegan said.
Many seniors who have conditions, such as Parkinson’s or dementia, also utilize plastic straws, according to Beatrix Winter, executive director of the Norwalk Senior Center.
“I’m speaking in support of the plasticstraw ban with one very important exception and that is for people with disabilities,” she said. “My motherinlaw has Parkinson’s disease and she needs to eat and drink with a straw.”
The draft ordinance has an exception that states restaurants can provide singleuse plastic straws to people who may require the use of “due to a disability or medical condition.”
That doesn’t always happen practically, however, Keegan said. Often times, people with disabilities would be questioned and it puts the burden on them to ask in advance if the restaurant they want to go to has plastic straws.
While legally under the ADA, if a person said, “I need a plastic straw because I have a disability,” there should be no further questions asked, Keegan said, but that doesn’t always happen.
“Yes it’s illegal — it also happens,” she said. “It’s
not something that tends to get challenged.”
Samuel Pride, a member of the city’s ADA committee, said he’s experienced that as someone who is visually impaired.
“They give you the receipt and they say your number’s here,” Pride said. “I say, ‘can you please tell me what my number is, I’m visually impaired.’ ”
Often times, the staff will get frustrated with him, Pride said, making the experience extremely uncomfortable.
“We shouldn’t have to explain,” he said.
Councilman Douglas Hempstead suggested requiring all
restaurants to ask customers if they want paper or plastic, since that would help reduce the use of plastic straws, while not making those who need the plastic feel uncomfortable for asking.
“That way you’re not drilling anyone,” he said. “There should be naturally a reduction in plastic straws. If anything, try that for awhile.”
Hempstead said that he, like other members of council, get frustrated when bundles of plastic straws are just thrown down on a table and never used and then thrown out. That’s why he said if places had to stop and offer straws, that could automatically reduce the number used.
“I think the ban on this — it’s a bigger thing than we probably think it is,” he said.
Other members suggested having the language read “plastic straws upon request,” but were concerned that many establishments would stop using plastic straws, as some restaurants in Norwalk already have.
All the members agreed that the language on banning singleuse plastic stirrers was fine to keep, but Council President Tom Livingston and Assistant Corporation Counsel Brian Candela said they would continue to work on the straw language.
The committee also unanimously voted to send a proposed ban on Styrofoam to a public hearing in August.
“The purpose of this article is to preserve and protect the environment in the City of Norwalk by prohibiting the sale, provision
or distribution of polystyrene products by food packagers and retail establishments,” the proposed ordinance reads.
The ordinance would ban any retail establishment, such as a grocery store, restaurant or convenience store, as well as any food packager, from serving, selling or distributing food or other items in a polystyrene container, with limited exceptions. The ban would also stop establishments from selling polystyrene products or “loose fill packaging” items, such as packing peanuts.
Food that is prepackaged offsite and raw meat is exempt from the ordinance, for both health and control reasons.
“We would recommend the exception for the raw meats,”
Deanna D’Amore, the city’s health director, wrote in an email to the committee. “I know many of the other communities working on bans have included this exemption (like New York City). Many of the raw meats are getting delivered to grocery stores already packaged and we have no control over that process.”
Council members said they hoped local business owners and service providers, such as Meals on Wheels, would attend the ordinance committee’s meeting in August to raise any questions or concerns.
“I don’t know if we’re bringing enough people into the conversation,” Hempstead said. “We’re going to affect a lot of seniors.”