Jeremy Carroll
WASTE & RECYCLING NEWS
Published: August 6, 2013 5:23 pm ET

Restaurant owners have continued to express opposition to the proposed polystyrene foam ban in New York City.
The Restaurant Action Alliance NYC, who is fighting the proposal by Mayor Bloomberg to ban restaurants from handing our polystyrene foam takeout containers, said more than 1,000 restaurants have written members of City Council urging them to oppose the proposal.
Those in opposition to the measure say polystyrene foam alternatives are more expensive and don't work as well, while environmentalists say the foam is not easily recyclable and is in such abundance that it is costly to dispose in landfills.
"Foam can and should be recycled, and I urge the mayor to work with the council to explore this option instead of a ban," City Council member Peter Vallone said in a statement.
If passed, the bill would outlaw any food establishments from handing customers polystyrene foam containers starting July 1, 2015. In addition, no manufacturer or store would be allowed to sell polystyrene loose fill packaging, often called "packing peanuts."