Dive Brief:
- More than 1,000 restaurant owners, through the Restaurant Action Alliance, are calling for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to reverse the ban on expanded polystyrene foam food-service products. The ban, which started July 1, will not be enforced until Jan. 1.
- The alliance, along with foam products maker Dart Container Corporation, have sued the city over the issue, with alliance leader Robert Jackson noting that "foam is 100% recyclable."
- A 2013 Quinnipiac University poll of city residents found that 69% of respondents supported a foam ban while 26% were opposed.
Dive Insight:
The alliance says small businesses will be hit the hardest as other packaging costs more than foam. It also says the ban will raise prices and cost jobs. The city, however, is offering "hardship exceptions" for small businesses and non-profits with less than $500,000 in annual sales.
The city stands by its contention that foam can't be fully recycled. With most residents supporting the ban, and enforcement delayed until the end of the year, businesses have a chance to seek alternatives. Dunkin' Donuts, for example, switched to #5 recyclable polypropylene cups.
