Styrofoam banned for food sellers
Beginning July 1, all food establishments in Virginia are required to eliminate the use of Styrofoam containers.
This ban applies to restaurants, cafeterias, food trucks, and other food service operations, regardless of size.
A law passed by the Virginia General Assembly in 2021 banned single-use Expanded Polystyrene (EPS), commonly known as Styrofoam, for food vendors with 20 or more locations in Virginia, including chain restaurants, large grocery stores, and school divisions, beginning in July 2025.
Phase 2, which takes effect next month, covers all food vendors. It applies to Styrofoam cups, plates, bowls, trays, and hinged takeout containers.
According to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality:
- EPS takes at least 500 years to break down. Less than 1 percent of EPS is recycled, and it takes up valuable space in landfills;
- EPS frequently end up as litter. It can blow out of trash cans and end up in rivers and the ocean. Many animals mistake EPS for food, causing potentially fatal consequences; and
- EPS is primarily made from styrene, a possible carcinogen. Chronic exposure to high amounts of styrene for extended periods can cause injury to the nervous system.
Litter Free Virginia offers more information about the health and environmental risks of Styrofoam.
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