Next week, foam containers for carryout food will be banned throughout Maryland. Not everyone is

[TexasTowelie]

Next week, foam containers for carryout food will be banned throughout Maryland. Not everyone is happy.


As the coronavirus pandemic continues to shift much restaurant dining from eat-in to takeout, Maryland next week becomes the first state in the nation to ban the familiar foam containers used to carry home everything from crab cakes to curries.

A state law that goes into effect Oct. 1 prohibits restaurants, schools and other food service outlets from using polystyrene containers, more commonly and erroneously known as Styrofoam. The law originally was scheduled to take effect July 1, but because of pandemic-related shutdowns, state officials allowed more time for affected businesses to use remaining stock.

The new law comes at a time when restaurants are using veritable mountains of disposables — for takeout, but also to follow federal health recommendations that they give even dine-in customers single-use plates and utensils.

As a result, trash collection has swelled across America, rising 22% in Baltimore at the height of the pandemic.

Read more: https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/environment/bs-md-stryrofoam-ban-takes-effect-20200925-dc57ytrblbdqrmbvsk4lddyw5a-story.html