In just two weeks, food containers and packaging materials made from Styrofoam will be banned in New York State.
The guideline applies to restaurants, caterers, food carts, retail food stores, delicatessens, supermarkets, coffee shops, supermarkets, nursing homes, hospitals and other health care facilities, elementary schools, high schools, and universities. These establishments will not be able to sell food in any Styrofoam container designed for single use, the state Department of Environmental Conservation warned on its website.
Also, retailers and manufacturers will not be able to use the loose polystyrene filler, commonly known as packing peanuts.
Containers prohibited by the new law include bowls, hinged containers, glasses, lids, plates, trays, and any other single-use product intended to store or transport prepared food or beverages.
But there are exemptions. Stores can still use foam packaging for raw meat, pork, seafood, poultry, or fish. The ban also does not apply to containers made of rigid polystyrene resin.
Food service providers may also use foam packaged food containers that have been sealed before the customer receives them.
Non-profit organizations and government agencies that provide food to people in need can obtain an exemption from the requirements of the law. That includes community meal programs, food pantries and places of worship, according to DEC.
Businesses that would normally be covered by the law can also apply for an exemption if they have gross annual revenues of less than $ 500,000 per location, have no more than 10 locations in New York, and are not franchises.
You can find information on how to apply for exemptions on the DEC state website.
But alternative materials are replacing polystyrene even before the law goes into effect.
In early 2021, Wegmans Food Markets stopped selling its brand of eggs in styrofoam packaging in favor of cartons made from 100% recycled newsprint and paper products.
The switch to that class of recyclable, compostable and biodegradable containers reduces 625,000 pounds of Styrofoam a year from Wegmans stores, the company said in a statement.
The company said its goal is to reduce single-use plastic in-store packaging made from fossil fuels and other plastics by 10 million pounds by 2024.
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