NYC Styrofoam container ban set for Jan. 1
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
A new law to ban the use of
Styrofoam in New York City
restaurants will take effect
Jan. 1, 2019.
Under Local Law 142,
“food service establishments,
stores, mobile food commissaries
and manufacturers
may not possess, sell, or offer
for use single-service Expanded
Polystyrene (EPS)
foam food service articles or
loose fill packaging.”
The law will apply to businesses
within New York City’s
five boroughs using foam takeout
containers, cups, packing
peanuts, plates, bowls, and
trays.
Exceptions include EPS
containers used for prepackaged
food that have been filled
and sealed prior to receipt by
the business, and EPS containers
used to store raw meat,
pork, fish, seafood, or poultry
sold from a butcher case or
similar retail appliance. Foam
blocks used as protective packaging
in shipping are not covered
under this law.
The law was established
because Styrofoam poses an
environmental threat, since it
cannot be recycled or broken
down in landfills, according to
the New York City Department
of Sanitation.
During organic waste collection,
Styrofoam can break
down into smaller pieces that
contaminate organic waste,
making it unusable for composting
or reuse.
There will be a six-month
grace period beginning Jan. 1,
2019, for businesses to find alternative
forms of packaging
before fines will be imposed.
Under Local Law 142, for
the first violation, the fine will
be $250; for the second violation
within 12 months, the fine
will be $500; and, for the third
and each subsequent violation
within twelve months, the fine
will be $1,000.
“Many food establishments
in Flushing rely heavily on
customers who carry out their
food. It is very important for
these businesses to be informed
of this law so they can
quickly work to find alternative
ways to package their food
and continue on with their
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
business,” said Sunny Sun,
vice president of the New York
Chinese Business Association
.A
lternative packaging options
include aluminum, rigid
plastics, uncoated paper, glass,
and compostable items.
Small businesses with less
than $500,000 in gross income
for the most recent tax year
and nonprofits may apply for
hardship exemptions from the
New York City Department of
Small Business Services (SBS)
if they can prove that the purchase
of alternative products
not composed of EPS would
create a financial hardship.
SBS is currently accepting
applications for polystyrene
foam hardship waivers.
To access the application,
visit www.nyc.gov/foamwaiver.
“We urge local businesses
to educate themselves about
this new law to avoid the
thousands of dollars in fines
that may accrue when the
NYC Department of Sanitation
begins to issue violation
notices,” said Taehoon
Kim, president of the Greater
Flushing Chamber of Commerce.
“For the many small
businesses that will experience
hardship because of this
new law, we encourage you to
apply for a one-year waiver
from the NYC Department of
Small Business Services.”
To learn more, visit www.
nyc.gov/foamban.
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by e-mail at cmohamed@
cnglocal.com or by
phone at (718) 260–4526.
CARNEGIE HALL PRESENTS UNIQUE MULTIMEDIA SHOW
CARMINA BURANA BY CARL ORFF
Bolshoi Symphonic Orchestra of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Yurlov Capella Choir, Soloists
of Bolshoi Theater, Conductor Jan Latham-Koenig (UK), Director Igor Ushakov (Bolshoi Theatre Russia)
December 29TH 8PM
Bolshoi Theater soloists Anna Aglatova, Stanislav Mostovoy, and Vasiliy Laduk sing with Yurlov Capella Choir and
Bolshoi Symphonic Orchestra of Moscow Conservatory. Inspired by Medieval poetry, Carl Orff wrote his cantata Carmina
Burana. To emphasize the power of this work and its philosophical and emotional meaning, the music will be accompanied
by visual effects, including laser projections of art masterpieces housed in Russian museums from the Middle Ages.
57TH STREET & 7TH AVE, NEW YORK, NY
212-375-3649 WWW.CARNEGIEHALL.ORG
TIMESLEDGER,26 DEC. 14-20, 2018 TIMESLEDGER.COM
/foamban
/foamban
/foamwaiver
link
link