There’s been much hay made in the media the last few days about the Missouri legislature inadvertently banning polyproplyene containers, not the expanded polystyrene (Styrofoam) coolers they intended to from the state’s waterways (exception for Lake of the Ozarks, and the big rivers, where the legislature plays, of course.)

While this law, (formerly SB 2 and SB 62, with provisions eventually making their way in a modified and watered down form into the Senate omnibus crime bill) was good intentioned. only two of the provisions (no beer bongs, and no alcohol containers over four gallons on the river) made it into law, along with the bungled effort to ban fragile, cheap, and crumbly white polystyrene foam vessels.

More than one reporter claimed that Tupperware was made of polyproplyene, the banned plastic, and made a great hoo-doo of this. I didn’t see a female reporter amongst them. If she had been there, she would have pointed out what anyone familiar with food preparation would have known immediately.

There are two kinds of Tupperware. The one usually pictured — milky white or pastel transluscent bowls with easily burpable lids is made of polyetheylene. Polyethyene is still legal, as is the polyurethane Old Town canoe underneath the tarp in the back of the photo. Most hard plastic coolers, (Coleman coolers, Big and Little Oscars, etc.), are mostly made of polyurethane or other blends.

Polypropylene Tupperware is the harder, more brightly colored storage plastic shown here with its fellow outlaw –glass. Other polypropylene products often found on the lake or river: floatable poly ski rope. Flexible bag coolers (like a plastic padded lunch sack, or sheet wrap for a case of beer or soda.) And don’t forget the ultimate polypro container: long, synthetic underwear and socks, commonly used for its warm when wet properties for outdoor activities on the three seasons when being wet and cold are not advisable.

Maybe the legislature will correct its error next year.