Skylar Counts, 7, carries a block of styrofoam near the damaged Paddock Park Animal Care Center Saturday morning, March 12, 2022. The Paddock Park Animal Care Center was severely damaged by a suspected tornado near the I-75 SR200 intersection. All of the animals were being relocated to the Dog Walker Ranch. Styrofoam construction material littered SR200 and nearby businesses after a tornado blew through the AdventHealth Care Pavilion construction site at the former BMW/Porsche/Volkswagen dealership on State Road 200 at 3949 SW College Road. [Doug Engle/Ocala Star Banner]2022 Oca Tornado
San Diego, California – California’s ban on Styrofoam foodware is now in full effect after the plastic industry failed to meet a key recycling target. CalRecycle, the state department overseeing recycling efforts, announced Friday that the ban on expanded polystyrene (EPS), commonly known as Styrofoam, will be enforced following the plastic industry’s inability to achieve a 25% recycling rate by the end of 2024.
The ban, which was part of a 2022 anti-plastic pollution bill, allows for the continued sale and distribution of Styrofoam only if producers could prove a 25% recycling rate by the start of 2025. With the target unmet and EPS recycling rates remaining around 1% nationwide, the law now mandates that expanded polystyrene producers cannot sell, distribute, or import these products into California.
The move to enforce the ban follows growing concerns over plastic pollution, with Styrofoam being a significant contributor to environmental harm. The material is notoriously difficult to recycle and often ends up polluting oceans and harming wildlife. As of January 1, 2025, the recycling target for EPS is set to increase incrementally, requiring 30% by 2028, 50% by 2030, and 65% by 2032.
The plastic industry’s lobbying efforts to delay the ban have included claims that the regulations are too costly and unfeasible. However, environmental groups argue that the costs of implementing the ban are outweighed by the savings from reduced plastic waste in communities and ecosystems. Despite this, Governor Gavin Newsom delayed the broader implementation of the bill’s regulations earlier this year, citing concerns over its feasibility. However, the stand-alone Styrofoam ban provision proceeded as planned, triggering the enforcement of the measure.
Critics argue that the California government’s lack of a clear enforcement strategy has left producers, sellers, and waste haulers uncertain about how the ban will be implemented. Lawmakers, including Sen. Ben Allen, have called for more decisive action from CalRecycle, which has yet to announce detailed enforcement procedures. Environmental groups, like Last Beach Cleanup, also warn that this highlights broader challenges in enforcing SB 54, a law aimed at reducing plastic waste in the state.
As the enforcement begins, the state continues to wrestle with how to balance industry concerns and environmental priorities in tackling the growing plastic pollution crisis.
