Expanded polystyrene containers create trash, contaminate soil, and may contain carcinogens. (Virginia Department of Environmental Quality)
All food vendors in Virginia must stop using expanded polystyrene food containers, a material similar to Styrofoam, by July 1 as part of a 2021 law.
The container ban will be implemented in two phases. Food distributors with 20 or more stores in the state had until July 1, 2025 to stop using the containers. All other food retailers must take similar action by July 1, 2026.
Food vendors can ask local governments to grant them a one-year exemption if they can show they are willing to endure financial hardship by replacing their foam containers.
According to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, expanded polystyrene takes at least 500 years to decompose and often ends up in the garbage. It can harm animals that eat the container and can also enter waterways. It can even pose a threat to human health. Expanded polystyrene is primarily composed of the compound styrene, which is a likely carcinogen. Continued exposure over a long period of time can damage the nervous system.
Environment Virginia, part of the nonprofit Environment America, led the 2021 effort.
“Virginians are ready to say goodbye to bubbles” before the first phase goes into effect in 2025, said Virginia Department of the Environment Commissioner Ellie Wilson. “This bipartisan legislation will remove harmful single-use foam products from the environment and protect wildlife who often confuse this plastic with food.”
Every place that prepares and sells food, from restaurants to grocery stores to schools, must find alternatives. DEQ said food businesses can use foil, recyclable plastic or paper containers.
Vendors who violate the ban and do not have a local exemption could be fined up to $50 per day.
