Maine has become the first state to ban single-use food and drink containers made from Styrofoam (aka polystyrene foam).
Democratic Governor Janet Mills signed the bill into law Tuesday, and it will take effect in 2021. If you violate the law? You could have to pay up to $100 in fines.
According to ABC News, \”The law prohibits \’covered establishments\’ like restaurants and grocery stores from using polystyrene containers. Hospitals, seafood shippers and stores selling pre-packaged meat are exempt.\”
The Governor said \”Polystyrene cannot be recycled like a lot of other products, so while that cup of coffee may be finished, the Styrofoam cup it was in is not. In fact, it will be around for decades to come and eventually it will break down into particles, polluting our environment, hurting our wildlife, and even detrimentally impacting our economy.\” in a statement to WMTW.
While Maine is the only US state to enact a ban like this so far, Oregon, Vermont and Connecticut are also considering similar bans on food containers. Many communities have already passed similar legislature, including ones from Berkeley, Seattle, Minneapolis and New York City.
Will Chicago be next?