RHODE ISLAND — The Rhode Island House of Representatives on Thursday voted in favor of a bill to ban foam containers and plastic stirrers in restaurants.
Having already passed the state senate, the bill now heads to Gov. Dan McKee’s desk and awaits his signature. The bill (2023-S 0014A) was sponsored by state Rep. David Bennett (D-Warwick, Cranston), and state Sen. Joshua Miller (D-Cranston, Providence), a restaurant owner, in an effort to reduce litter in the Ocean State.
“Foam is one of the worst offenders when it comes to single-use food packaging,” Miller said. “It is generally not recycled, and its light weight allows it to easily blow away when it becomes litter, harming our land and marine environments. Even though it is not biodegradable, it easily breaks apart into tiny pieces, and it can hurt or kill animals who mistake small, floating bits of it as food. Fortunately, today there are so many significantly better alternatives to foam. “I’m glad the Ocean State is joining the growing number of states and cities that are saying no to foam.”
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If the bill is signed into law, it would take effect Jan. 1, 2025. It would not apply to agricultural fairs, farmers markets, hospitals, nursing homes, “Meals on Wheels”-type programs or charitable organizations that are providing food for free. It also would not apply to packaging on prepackaged food items that a restaurant purchases at wholesale or to foam coolers or ice chests that are used for processing or shipping food.
If the legislation is enacted, Rhode Island would join Maine, Vermont, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, Colorado, Washington and Washington D.C. among states and jurisdictions that have passed laws banning foam food service containers.
“Every time I walk my dogs or am out fishing, I see foam containers on the side of the road, in our woods and in our water,” Bennett said. “I know some people might not like to hear it, they might think this is inconvenient, but we need to stop being such a throwaway society. That foam takeout container you use in a few minutes is going to be around for hundreds of years. When we use alternatives, our environment, wildlife and grandkids all benefit.”