Styrofoam containers will soon be banned in Virginia

Your food and drink orders in Virginia may start to look a little different.

Starting July 1, large food vendors across the state will no longer be allowed to use single-use expanded polystyrene, a plastic foam material commonly referred to by the brand name Styrofoam. That includes plates, cups, bowls, trays and hinged containers.

State lawmakers passed the ban four years ago, following the lead of others such as Maryland, New York and Washington, D.C. Implementation was delayed. Gov. Glenn Youngkin tried unsuccessfully to push it further through a proposed budget amendment earlier this year.

For now, it only covers food vendors with 20 or more locations in Virginia, including restaurants, grocery stores, food trucks and caterers.

The law also applies to schools and community groups that use food programs such as the National School Lunch Program.

Next July, the ban will expand to all food vendors in Virginia.

Advocates say Styrofoam, though cheap to purchase, is harmful to the environment and contributes to global plastic pollution.

The material breaks apart easily, allowing bits to get loose and become litter. It also takes hundreds, or even thousands, of years to decompose and can leach toxic chemicals.

State officials launched a “Foam Free Virginia” campaign in line with the legislation.

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality recommends using reusable containers, paper products, recyclable plastic, foil or metal instead of polystyrene.

Food vendors are allowed to request a one-year exemption from their local government, demonstrating that they have no reasonable alternative and compliance would “cause significant economic hardship.”

People who violate the new law could face civil penalties of up to $50 per day, which would go into the state’s Litter Control and Recycling Fund or to the locality.

DEQ says people who want to file a complaint about ban violations should reach out to the locality where the food vendor is operating.