Defending Virginia’s single use foam ban

Virginia banned single use foam cups and takeout containers with a bipartisan vote in 2021. The ban was set to go into effect July 1, 2023 for large chains and in 2025 for small businesses. These implementation dates were comparatively very generous. Businesses in other states have been able to comply with bans in significantly less time.

This bipartisan ban was a hugely popular. Environment Virginia generated over 50,000 petitions of support from Virginians across the Commonwealth. If there was one thing that seemed to bring people together, it was their desire to never see single use foam cups and takeout containers in their waterways, farms, gutters, recycling bins, anywhere and everywhere ever again. 

What happened?

Less than a year before the ban was to go into effect for large chains (many of which already are foam free in other states and DC), the ban was delayed for 5 years through the budget making process. Rather than eliminating thousands of dangerous plastic products from our environment, Virginia allocated $80,000 in taxpayer money to study if banning foam is a good idea. 

The thing is we know it is a good idea to eliminate particularly harmful single use plastic like expanded polystyrene foam. 

Why single use foam?

1. It is overabundant and lightweight which are major contributors for why it so easily ends up in the environment and becomes litter. 
2. It never biodegrades, instead it breaks down piece by piece eventually into microplastics. What doesn’t end up as litter cannot be recycled effectively and will either end up in a landfill (where it can easily blow away into our environment or where it will slowly break down into microplastics and seep into our waterways) or incinerated which causes a host of other pollution problems. 
3. Eliminating single use foam has shown to decrease litter in the environment and have a positive effect on wildlife. 

What now?

Virginia citizens bipartisanly want to see single use foam banned in Virginia.

Virginia legislators bipartisanly agreed it is a good idea to ban these products.

The plastics industry has for decades touted false solutions to calm concerns regarding plastic pollution and stifle action. We have seen what that has meant for our wildlife and environment. It is time we stop wasting time and money to protect an industry that has not shown it has solutions to pollution. 

It is time for Virginia legislators to support accelerated phase out of single use foam, fix the budget language that delayed implementation and finally put #WildlifeOverWaste.

Check out Environment Virginia’s 2024 Priorities information on other environmental issues we are tackling this year.