Long Beach, Calif., City Council Votes to Ban Polystyrene Containers

The unanimous vote of the phase-in ban is the first step in the process to eliminate the plastic’s use in restaurants or in other retail settings where food is sold within the city, including food trucks. Long Beach joins over 100 other cities in California that regulate the use of polystyrene to package food.

The purpose of the ban is to cut down on littering, protect the public’s health– the National Institute of Health identified polystyrene as a human carcinogen– and to reduce waste that has consumed the city’s beaches.

Slide presentations displayed at the city council meeting indicated that the plastic in question is fairly light and is easily blown into the city’s waterways. It also makes up 60 percent of the waste found on beaches. The ban assists in minimizing food-container litter from washing up on shore.