In Plymouth, joining more than 60 other communities in the Commonwealth, there will be a ban on the use of polystyrene or Styrofoam takeout containers, by food service establishments, but it will not go into effect until next year. This, the result of the vote of the Board of Health at their meeting this week on the 19th.
WATD’s Bobbi Clark has more…
Barry Potvin Chairs the Board of Health:
“What passed unanimously—we’ve been looking at it for awhile—is a ban on the use of Styrofoam or polystyrene, it’s the same thing, takeout containers for food and for beverages at restaurants or anyone that serves takeout food.”
So, when will the ban go into effect?
“We actually decided we’re going to wait to put that into effect until the 1st of January 2026. The reason for that is that we want to make sure those restaurants that are still using Styrofoam containers have time to exhaust their supply and so they won’t have to just throw them out.”
Polystyrene is an environmental hazard…
“…because you can’t recycle that stuff—it has to go into the trash and it just doesn’t break down.”
But that’s not the only concern about the use of polystyrene…
“The other problem with polystyrene and Styrofoam particularly, is that whenever it’s in something that comes into direct contact with hot, or even warm liquids or foods, it actually leeches something called styrene, and the styrene is a known carcinogen which does in crease the cancer rates.”
In Plymouth, Bobbi Clark, WATD News.
