Maryland becomes first state to ban Styrofoam

Maryland is now the first state to enact a ban on foam food containers. Polystyrene, more commonly known as Styrofoam, is a hazardous type of single-use plastic—it’s difficult to recycle and sticks around for a long time, Public News Service reports. The law sets a $250 fine if restaurants, schools, or places that serve food use polystyrene cups or containers. The Maryland Retailers Association opposed the action, saying it could hurt restaurants which are already struggling with the pandemic. But Maryland isn’t entirely alone in the ban—Maine passed a similar law that goes into effect in January, and New Jersey passed an especially strict anti-plastic law last week. And many cities across the country have their own polystyrene bans—Berkeley, California was the first city to ban Styrofoam back in 1987.