As an engineer/scientist, I found this whole situation extremely amusing and dismaying at the same time. Get your Geek On :o)
Most people packing food and drinks for a weekend getaway at the lake can tell the difference between Styrofoam and Tupperware containers.
But Missouri lawmakers can’t, at least based on an embarrassing law they passed earlier this year.
They wanted to ban the use of foam coolers on the state’s waterways, to prevent abandoned ones from polluting lakes and streams. It’s a good idea.
However, legislators instead approved a law that bans hard plastic containers, such as Tupperware.
The results: State lawmakers look inept, the Missouri Water Patrol has a law it rightly says it won’t enforce, and there will be an unfortunate delay of at least a year in outlawing foam coolers.
The problem occurred because lawmakers and their staffs didn't take the time to double-check what they were doing with the proposed ban.
The state wanted to ban coolers made from polystyrene, such as Styrofoam. But it instead nixed containers made from polypropylene.
The mistake was especially disappointing because the government was trying to tell the public how to behave, in this case to protect the environment.
Legislators need to clean up this mess in the 2010 session. Before then, they could brush up on why reusable Tupperware items make perfect sense for picnics on the rivers.
