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styrofoam

Nassau County Styrofoam Ban

 

NASSAU COUNTY STYROFOAM BAN

The Central Long Island Chapter wants to see a county-wide ban on expanded polystyrene foam from food service establishments.

Nassau County is sandwiched in between two areas that now have bans on EPS foam; New York City and Suffolk County, NY. So it only makes sense for Nassau County, with the Long Island Sound on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other to ban the scourge of EPS foam, (aka Styrofoam) as well. 

Nassau County Legislator Denise Ford introduced a bill to do just this and the chapter supports this completely. The chapter’s Ocean Friendly Restaurants program has been taking off recently so there is real awareness of the issue and a desire to attack the foamed-plastic problem. The chapter signed on a letter circulated to environmental groups in the area and will be testifying on the bill in the County Legislature.

The following was originally posted May 6, 2019 on the Nassau County website site here.

Legislator Denise Ford’s proposed legislation to ban the use of polystyrene foam (commonly known as “Styrofoam”) containers in Nassau County passed its first hurdle. The Nassau County Legislature’s committees approved the measure which is expected to be passed by the full Legislature on May 20, 2019.

Ford’s Legislation prohibits food service establishments, mobile food commissaries and stores from selling or giving out disposable containers, such as cups or to-go packaging, made from polystyrene foam. The law also prohibits manufacturers and stores in Nassau from selling or using polystyrene loose fill (often called “peanuts”) packaging.

In addition, the Local Law creates a special revenue fund for environmental investigation and cleanup of Nassau County properties. Legislator Ford is passionate about the fragility of our environment and the need to preserve it, and this Local Law is a small step forward in the fight to clean it up.

To see a copy of the proposed legislation, please click here.