“Not every item within [the plastic manufactured items category] has the potential to create a reasonable apprehension of harm”
As long as we agree not to be apprehensive about the harms resulting from the use and manufacture of all plastics, they are ok. Got it, bring back the straws and stir sticks!
The annoying part is the judge has a masters in biochem. She knows exactly how bad plastic manufacturing and waste is but can make this ruling with a ‘clean’ conscience because technically not every plastic is toxic in the form in which it is sold.
All plastic manufacturing is horrendously toxic whether it’s casting, molding, extruding or something else they all involve dangerous precursor chemicals and/or produce dangerous gasses and particulates. At the other end of the process, all plastics have the awesome property of being extremely long lived while also eroding into a powder that is now present in 80% of people’s blood.
It’s annoying because stuff like requiring calorie labels on menus, for which there is no evidence of any kind that including that information affects consumer choices or health at a population level, is implemented as law, but “is plastic dangerous enough” is debated.