NewsBits

The American Institute for Packaging and the Environment (AMERIPEN), an organization that seeks to advance sustainable packaging, has announced that four additional companies in the packaging value chain have joined its ranks. Packaging supplier Bemis Company, Inc., medical device product company DDL, food maker Heinz and environmental website and recycling directory Earth911 are now members of AMERIPEN.

The Los Angeles City Council voted 13-1 Wednesday in favor of a plastic bag ban that would affect the distribution of plastic bags at approximately 7,500 L.A. area grocery stores. "With this vote, 49 California cities and counties have now banned plastic grocery bags, eliminating 17,000 tons of plastic litter and waste every year," said Mark Murray, Executive Director of Californians Against Waste. "That's 10 times more plastic bags than were recycled last year." Retailers would have a 6-12 month phase-out period depending on their size. Bag ban opponents, the American Progressive Bag Alliance, issued a statement in advance of the vote, calling it "draconian."

In London, a group of restaurants are hoping to start wars, specifically Straw Wars. Citing how difficult it is to recycle the drinking utensils, and how they are a perennial source of litter, the campaign seeks to reduce, or completely eliminate, the amount of straws currently given out to customers. So far, 33 eateries in London have signed up for the campaign, promising to only give out straws to customers who ask for them.

Remember last week's NewsBit about the California school kids trying to get Crayola to offer a take-back and recycling program for the crayon giant's markers? The kids' efforts garnered over 60,000 signatures on an online petition – and received an answer from the company: Not right now, kids. According to a report by the Associated Press, "the crayon maker encourages 'children to share their ideas,' the company has no plans to offer a recycling program for its markers."

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