Years in the making, a New York statewide ban on styrofoam is enacted
As the Omicron surge reduces dining rooms’ capacity, many restaurants are again turning to takeout as a way to keep their businesses afloat. In New York state, though, no one will be getting their food packed in the environmentally unfriendly old styrofoam container starting January 1, The Post-Journal reports. New York’s ban has been in the works since a 2019 proposal, just a touch later than California, which began banning styrofoam containers over 30 years ago. Styrofoam, aka polystyrene foam, once considered a technological breakthrough, is notorious for being non-compostable and made up of “forever chemicals.” Luckily consumers have other safe, compostable options for takeout containers…oh wait, we’re hearing some bad news there. —Alex Hinton
