The Board of Supes is pushing for a ban on polystyrene (styrofoam) takeout containers in San Francisco. The stuff is apparently pretty nasty–even McDonalds stopped using the stuff a few years ago. Even the Golden Gate Restaurant Association, opponents of things like living wages and health insurance, is OK with it.

Nathan Nayman, on the other hand, is against it:

Nathan Nayman, director of the Committee on Jobs, a lobbying group for big business in San Francisco, accused Peskin of drafting his legislation to satisfy environmentalists without any consideration of what it will cost companies.

“What it always comes down to is what it’s going to cost the business to comply with legislation that is presented on behalf of a special interest,” Nayman said.

It’s not at all clear to me why the Committee on Jobs should be opposed to this. Very few of their members are restaurants or would be affected at all by this ban. What I did find amusing, though, is the knee-jerk “special interest” accusation. What is the “special interest” that benefits from this ban? People who breathe? Those of us who drink water? Children? What?

If those of us who don’t want to be poisoned by takeout food is a “special interest” to the Committee on Jobs, we should remember that next time they call the supporters of health care or fair taxation a “special interest”.

UPDATE: As the Continental Op points out, Oakland passed a similar ban yesterday. Cursed special interests!