Saying goodbye to Styrofoam
The material is now prohibited from distribution and sale in San Diego
Jessica Mills / Arts & Culture Editor / The USD Vista
Effective April 1, styrofoam products are no longer allowed to be distributed and sold in San Diego. Styrofoam bowls, plates, trays, cups, lids, egg cartons, meat trays and other items are included in the ban — impacting restaurants, food services and plastic manufacturers.
However, some businesses that made less than $500,000 on their most recent Federal tax form, have an extension until March 31, 2024, to comply with alternative, plastic options. Likewise, customers can still request plastic straws and utensils.
The ban marks the conclusion of a four-year lawsuit between the city, restaurants and plastic manufacturers. The lawsuit started because many felt that the ban disregarded reports stating that removing styrofoam will not reduce litter or trash and that the alternatives will end up taking their place. The lawsuit document explains that bans on “polystyrene food containers would cause a shift to materials with other significant environmental impacts.”
However, many national and regional food chains stopped using polystyrene foam, also known as the brand name Styrofoam, prior to the ruling, due to backlash from concerned customers and environmental groups.
In a press release, the city explained their rationale.
“Polystyrene foam products are typically used one time before being discarded, and due to their light weight can easily become litter. Polystyrene foam litter breaks down into small pieces which do not biodegrade and often end up in streets, canyons, waterways, storm drains, and eventually the ocean, where it harms wildlife that mistakenly ingests it.”
USD senior Jenny DeSantis believes that this ruling is a great step toward being a more environmentally friendly city.
“I would love to say that our city banning single-use plastics will save the world, but that’s unrealistic. But, I do think that this ban is putting our city on the path toward bettering our interactions with the environment and helping us preserve the world’s ecosystem a little while longer.”
San Diego residents are no longer allowed to use styrofoam products at city parks and beaches, unless the food is packaged elsewhere and sold in San Diego stores. USD junior Mia Griffiths, however, is not deterred by this.
“I think this ban allows people to see how often we really use single-use plastics especially in the restaurant/food service industry,” Griffiths said. “It also allows us to actively find better alternatives that are just as good and eliminate the use of single-use plastic.”
While customers can still enjoy dining out, they can now do so with less worry over using non-biodegradable single-use plastics that often end up in San Diego’s scenic environment.