New York City’s ban on plastic foam is now in effect.
The ban applies to single-use food packing products, including takeout containers and coffee cups. It also applies to so-called “packing peanuts.”
The ban was first passed into law at the end of December 2013, near the end of then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s time in office.
The current mayor, Bill de Blasio, also supports the prohibition.
In 2014, New York’s sanitation department collected 28,500 tons of the material.
The move brings New York, the nation’s largest city, into line with other municipalities that have similar bans, including Seattle and Minneapolis.
The ban took effect Wednesday.
Violations this year will only trigger a warning. City officials said that fines will be applied next year.
(AP)
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3 Responses
why not ban toilet paper as well?
This ban covers only 10% of styrofoam in the city, so instead of 28,500 tons in the landfills, there’d be 25,650 tons instead (90% still there). Wouldn’t it be better to add styrofoam to the recycling program, so that it could all be taken out of the landfills?
Almost no one holds this is a problem. It just results in increasing the costs of living and doing business in the city.