Stamford Mayor David Martin has signed an ordinance amending the city”™s charter to prohibit the sale and distribution of polystyrene products (often referred to by the trademarked term “Styrofoam”) for food packagers and retail establishments. The ordinance will take effect on April 20, 2021.
“I am proud to sign this ordinance and prevent this nasty pollutant from inevitably littering our streets and harming our environment,” Martin said. “Polystyrene alternatives such as cardboard are easier to recycle while costing roughly the same to businesses. This is a common sense environmental reform that benefits everyone who lives on this planet.”
“The banning of Styrofoam not only demonstrates our commitment to maximizing the environmental integrity of our city, but will further help to inspire other municipalities to act in a similar fashion as well,” said State Rep. Jonathan Jacobson (D-104th), who authored and co-sponsored the ordinance.
Polystyrene is not biodegradable and is difficult to reuse or recycle cost effectively. The Stamford ordinance includes a number of exceptions such as raw meat or seafood, coolers and ice chests, and products prepackaged before receipt by retail establishments, such as egg cartons.
Stamford”™s Board of Representatives received guidance from local nonprofits on effective policy proposals to enact change on the local level.
The city”™s polystyrene ban follows its plastic bag ban, which took effect in May 2019. The state of Connecticut passed its own plastic bag ban later that year.
