NYC Ban on Styrofoam Products To Take Effect in 2019

Days after it was upheld by an appeals court, New York City’s ban on single-use styrofoam products will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2019. By that date, food service establishments, stores and manufacturers may not possess, sell, or offer for use foam service articles or loose fill packaging, such as “packing peanuts.”

Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday that his administration will work with businesses over the next six months to help transition to new materials.

The City Council passed and de Blasio signed the law in 2013, claiming that the products damage the environment and cannot be recycled. Restaurant groups sued, saying the foam products could be recyclable and that no cost-efficient replacement could be easily found. A court sided against them, a ruling upheld this week by an appeals court judge.

Non-profits and businesses with less than $500,000 in annual revenue may apply for hardship exemptions. The Department of Small Business Services will begin accepting applications for the waivers in the fall.