Current PolyStyrene Ban List

Polystyrene, extruded-polystyrene, styrofoam, aromatic polymer...or whatever-ya-call-it: Public Enemy 1.01! Following is a list of current, ongoing and planned polystyrene take-out, single-use, food-container bans. Most are in California, though the trend is spreading. Look for your town on the list - if it's not there, prod your local Surfrider chapter and help them get crackin' on it!

"Foodware" is the most eggregious use of the stuff. Smart eaters avoid any hot food that's been touchin' that form of plastic. Ever microwaved a meal in one of those take-out containers?? The process welds the plastic to the food, bLOrP!...so just placing warm food in a container of that material gives me the heebie-jeebies. ...and nobody likes the heebie-jeebies.

At my local beach, especially on Monday mornings, the area is strewn with the stuff, as if a styro-bomb had gone off overnight, WAH-BAM-poof! Truth is - the seagulls attack the containers in the trash cans and rip it to pieces searching for every last food particle therein...with the ocean just steps away. The stuff is Trouble...with a capital "T". Get it out of your community, tout de suite!

Below the following city list is a set of links to more info on polystyrene ban efforts. HAVE AT IT!

POLYSTYRENE FOOD-WARE BANS IN CALIFORNIA

Bans on all Polystyrene Food-Ware

1. City of Del Rey Oaks
2. City of Laguna Beach
3. City of Monterey
4. City of Richmond
5. City of San Bruno
6. City of Santa Monica
7. City of West Hollywood

Bans on Expanded Polystyrene Food-Ware

8. City of Alameda
9. City of Berkeley
10. City of Calabasas
11. City of Capitola
12. City of Carmel
13. City of Emeryville
14. City of Fairfax
15. City of Hercules
16. City of Laguna Beach
17. City of Malibu
18. County of Marin
19. City of Newport Beach
20. City of Oakland
21. City of Pacific Grove
22. City of Pacifica
23. City of Palo Alto
24. City and County of San Francisco
25. City of Santa Cruz
26. County of Santa Cruz
27. City of Scotts Valley

Partial Bans (usually prohibits city purchasing, or use by city vendors, contractors, or at city sponsored events)

28. City of Alisio Vejo
29. City of Huntington Beach
30. City of Laguna Woods
31. City of Laguna Hills
32. City of Los Angeles
33. County of Orange
34. City of Pittsburg
35. City of San Clemente
36. County of San Mateo
37. City of San Juan Capistrano
38. City of San Jose
39. County of Sonoma
40. County of Ventura


CITIES THAT MAY CONSIDER BANS:
• City of Fremont
• City of Arcata
• City of Milpitas
• City of El Cerrito
• City of San Pablo
• City of San Jose
• Boston
• Chicago
• New York City


POLYSTYRENE FOOD-WARE BANS OUTSIDE CALIFORNIA

Bans on all Polystyrene Food-Ware

1. Rahway, New Jersey
2. St. Paul, Minnesota

Bans on EPS Food-Ware

3. Issaquah, Washington
4. Seattle, Washington
5. Portland, Oregon
6. Freeport, Maine
7. Westchester, NY

LINKs:

==> Here is a great list that features links to each city's info - either a copy of the actual ordinance or an explanation of that city's ban's specifics - NICE JOB VIV!!

==> The "McToxics" campaign and historical efforts to phase out Styrofoam.

==> In CA one of the PS food serviceware lead groups is Californians Against Waste.

==> Lots of other (older) good info can be found here.