WASHINGTON, USA —
Starting June 1 expanded polystyrene products, including Styrofoam products, will be prohibited from sale in Washington. This includes food service products like cups, plates, to-go clamshells, trays and food containers, as well as packing peanuts and single-use coolers.
According to the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) expanded polystyrene (EPS) materials are difficult and expensive to recycle, and aren't accepted in most of Washington's residential recycling programs. EPS materials are also brittle and break into small pieces that can contaminate the environment.
Emily Gonzalez, the director of Law and Policy at Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, said experts don't know how long it takes polystyrene to break down, but it's "at least 500 years."
"We don't really know, because it's so long," she said.
Gonzalez said Styrofoam and other EPS materials are one of the top 10 items Puget Soundkeeper finds in their beach cleanups.
If restaurants or food suppliers do not comply, Marissa Smith with Ecology said their goal is to educate and ensure businesses can comply rather than enforce fines. However, they do have the ability to enforce if businesses refuse to comply. "Repeated and continuous" non-compliance with the regulations could result in up to a $250 fine.
Gonzalez emphasized that EPS ban is focused on accountability on the part of the producers of these materials.
"Right now, the consumer is largely responsible for dealing with the trash and the longevity and there’s only so many things that we as consumers have control over. If the producers of plastics themselves are incentivized to use better materials, if the market forces push for that, we will really get some big-picture change,” said Gonzalez.
More information on the restricted items and timelines can be found here.