Great news—New York State's long-awaited ban on polystyrene foam (aka "styrofoam") will go into effect on January 1, 2022.

We've got one month left and I hope you'll help prepare for a "foam-free New York" by spreading the word about this upcoming set of positive changes.

You can forward this email to local businesses, your friends, family, and coworkers and/or use the links below to share the good news via social media.

• Click here to share via Twitter.
• Click here to share on Facebook.

Now for the nitty-gritty from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.

The banned items include:

• Single-use expanded polystyrene foam food service containers used for prepared food and beverages, including but not limited to: bowls, cartons, clamshells, cups, lids, plates, and trays; and
• Packing peanuts or other void-filling, loose fill packaging products made of expanded polystyrene foam.

Who does the ban apply to?

See the list of affected businesses and organizations below.

• COVERED FOOD SERVICE PROVIDERS selling or distributing prepared food or beverages, including restaurants, grocery stores, delis, coffee shops, caterers, food trucks and street vendors, hospitals, schools, adult care facilities and nursing homes, cafeterias, hotels, motels and inns, community meal programs, sporting venues, amusement parks, summer camps, correctional facilities, and faith-based organizations.
• STORES (retail and wholesale) that sell or distribute single-use food service containers or loose fill packaging in New York State.
• LOOSE FILL MANUFACTURERS who sell or distribute polystyrene foam loose fill in New York State.

Please note that the statewide ban does NOT apply to the following:

• Containers used for raw meat, pork, seafood, poultry, or fish sold to be prepared by the customer;
• Prepackaged food that is filled or sealed prior to receipt at a covered food service provider; Hard plastic food service containers marked with a number 6 (Polystyrene–PS) that are not foam; and
• A city with a population of 1 million or more with a local expanded polystyrene foam ban in place like New York City.

Spread the word! Know any business owners or organizations who will be impacted? You can download this information from the NYSDEC as either a two-page PDF flier or a one-page PDF card and share it with them and others.

Any questions? If you have any questions at all, please reach out to the New York State Department of Conservation via email at: [email protected]