The commentary on foam containers by the executive director of the Hawaii Restaurant Association misses a critical point: Polystyrene foam is different from other kinds of potential pollution (“City audit shows ban on foam containers won’t achieve much,” Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, Feb. 11).

It is especially prone to being carried by wind and water to the ocean, where it breaks down into small pieces mistaken for food by marine life — more troubling when you consider styrene’s toxicity. The city audit omitted this point, too.

Will banning foam food-service containers solve the plastic marine debris problem? No. But that is not the right question to ask.

Let’s instead ask, “Is it the responsible thing to do? Are we creative enough to equitably transition to alternatives?”

To these I believe the answer is yes.

David Atcheson

Downtown Honolulu

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