WESTFIELD – The Planning Board heard details of a proposed ordinance amendment last night which would allow the manufacture of plastic products in the Industrial A district, but continue to prohibit the actual manufacture of plastic in the city.
The Board then furthered amended the proposed ordinance change, petitioned by the City Council, which will conduct its own hearing tomorrow night, to make the use of plastic, either pellets or recycled plastic, an allowed use by special permit.
The board initially voted on a motion to send a positive recommendation to the City Council, which as the city’s legislative body has the authority to amend the city’s code of ordinances, but that motion failed by a 2-5 vote because of environmental concerns raised by several board members after hearing from four residents who spoke in opposition during the public hearing.
The second motion to send a positive recommendation included the requirement that there be a review and local control through a special permit process. That motion was approved by a vote of 6-1.
Planning Chairman Philip McEwan raised the concern about making the use of plastic for product production a “by-right” use under the ordinance amendment sent to the board by the City Council.
“I have a concern about it, that there is no review whatsoever,” McEwan said. “I’m not opposed to the industry, but there are different processes to manipulate plastics.’
McEwan said that while the plastic industry is regulated by the state and federal governments, which issue permits for emissions, without a special permit process “there is no local control, no opportunity for residents to voice concerns. I’m in favor of changing the ordinance to allow this use, but I think there has to be some review process.”
Board members Carl Vincent and Jane Magarian both said they are concerned about possible environmental impacts.
“I have a problem about how it effects the environment without any permitting process,” Vincent said.
Magarian, a teacher in the city’s school district, noted the “astronomical increase” in the number of children diagnosed with autism in recent years.
“Two or three years ago, one in 200 children were found to have some form of autism. Now that number is down to one in 50,” Magarian said. “There’s something going on, some environmental factor.”
Resident Mary Ann Babinski said residents of the city share those concerns about potential negative environmental effects of a plastic ejection or molding process.
“Those are our concerns, too,” Babinski said. “Communities are spending time and money to ban the use of plastic, especially disposable bottles which are not environmentally friendly. There are some very hazardous chemicals that go into the manufacturing of plastic, especially for women.
“I hope this board takes the time to do research,” Babinski said. “I’d want to have a lot more information before I made this zone change.”
Jean Carpenter agreed, saying that there are “too many toxins in plastic.”
“We don’t know how much emissions will be produced (during plastic product manufacturing),” Carpenter said. “We have enough pollution. We don’t need any more. We don’t want it.”
