Maine has become the first state to ban single-use food and drink containers made from polystyrene foam, commonly known as Styrofoam.
The Natural Resources Council of Maine said that Maine's the first state to enact such a ban. Similar legislation passed Maryland's legislature in April, but it's unclear whether that state's Republican governor, Larry Hogan, will sign it.
Companies such as Dunkin' and McDonald's have pledged to or have already eliminated foam cups, while communities around the globe are also considering bans of their own. In December, European Union officials agreed to ban some single-use plastics, such as polystyrene food and beverage containers, in an effort to curb marine pollution.
The law will prohibit"covered establishments" like restaurants and grocery stores from using polystyrene containers. Hospitals, seafood shippers and state-funded meals-on-wheels programs will be exempt. Such industry groups asserted that the bill doesn't mean consumers will stop littering. The groups said they're taking voluntary steps to make plastic package reusable, recyclable or recoverable by 2030. The plastic industry in January committed to spending $1.5 billion over five years to end plastic waste through a new nonprofit, The Alliance to End Plastic Waste, according to American Chemistry Council lobbyist Margaret Gorman.
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