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MASHPEE ENVIRONMENTAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE <br /> MEETING MINUTES <br /> NOVEMBER 13, 2019 - 6:30 P.M. <br /> MASHPEE TOWN HALL-POPPONESSET MEETING ROOM <br /> 16 Great Neck Road North <br /> Board Members Present: Katelyn Cadoret, Michael Talbot, Joe Cummings, Ashley Fisher, <br /> Rick York, Tom Hoppensteadt, Mary Waygan(?) <br /> Others Present: Virginia Scharfenberg & Irene Checkovich(Mashpee Environmental <br /> Coalition), Ryan Spencer(Mashpee Enterprise) <br /> CALL TO ORDER: <br /> COMMUNICATIONS & CORRESPONDENCE: <br /> Katelyn had corresponded with Mark Lawrence,the owner of Polar Cave Ice Cream, over <br /> Facebook messenger following the failure to pass the polystyrene ban at the October Town <br /> Meeting, as well as with Chuck Gasior from the Finance Committee over phone and e-mail <br /> regarding his experience in polystyrene manufacturing. <br /> NEW BUSINESS <br /> • Strategies for Passing Polystyrene/Plastic Straw Ban in 2020: Update <br /> Group Discussion Regarding Polystyrene Ban: Tom H. had met with DPW and Mary (?) of <br /> Compost With Me in Falmouth and reiterated there is no facility available for composting <br /> packaging at this time. Mashpee has expanded their permit with DEP (need clarification). <br /> Regardless, compostable packaging is still better to burn than polystyrene. One of the arguments <br /> against the ban was that the expanded polystyrene (EPS) used at establishments such as Polar <br /> Cave who have a contract with SEAMass has all their refuse taken to Rochester to be burned at a <br /> waste-to-energy facility. Michael T. mentioned Wellfleet has three ice cream stores that have <br /> switched from EPS to a different material, and that Washington DC,New York City, and San <br /> Francisco all have passed polystyrene bans. Ginny has spoken with Wellfleet business owner <br /> how the transition has been once the ban was implemented as well as WB Mason vendors about <br /> products available. Another point against the use of EPS was that styrene can leach into food at <br /> high enough temperatures and is a known carcinogen, and it was reiterated it is worse to burn as <br /> far as emissions. Rick also brought up the fact that plastic water bottles also leach undesirable <br /> chemicals. The members discussed that the potential municipal Plastic Bottle Ban headed by Dr. <br /> Madhavi may be forthcoming in Town, although it is not an appropriate time to bring to the <br /> Selectman in light of the wastewater funding. Irene suggested we produce a one-page bulleted <br /> handout to distribute to the public about the environmental drawbacks of using EPS, as education <br /> was lacking the first time around trying to pass this ban. The board also discussed scaling the ban <br /> back to EPS only for the Spring Town Meeting. Mary W. spoke to a few townspeople about the <br /> plastic straw ban and how there are some unfavorable opinions about bans in general, and <br /> suggested that if the plastic straw ban went forward in spring (with the caveat mentioned by Pam <br />