Alaska governor vetoes bipartisan foam container limits, saying rural businesses need more time

A bipartisan effort to curb the use of foam food containers in Alaska restaurants has been blocked by Gov. Mike Dunleavy, who said businesses in rural parts of the state need more time to adapt.

The decision was one of six vetoes he issued on June 25, intensifying a debate over waste, public health, and the direction Alaska wants to take going forward.

What happened?

Anchorage Democratic Rep. Andy Josephson sponsored House Bill 25 as a response to what he called the "alarming problem" of plastic pollution. The proposal sought to reduce disposable food service ware made from polystyrene foam, the lightweight plastic used in many takeout boxes, cups, and plates.

The bill included a delayed phase-in, so restaurants could keep using foam containers they had already bought through Jan. 1, 2027. According to the Anchorage Daily News, it passed the Senate 13-7 and the House 26-14.

In his veto message, Dunleavy said the change would "be especially difficult for businesses in rural Alaska, where shipping limitations, supply availability, and higher costs already make operations more expensive." He also wrote that the bill's effective date would "create a short and unrealistic implementation timeline."

The veto came as part of a broader wave of executive action. Dunleavy also rejected bills dealing with invasive species, home care employment standards, late state grant payments, an Alaska-Ireland trade commission, and naming a park and research institute after a historic member of Alaska's government — bringing his number of vetoes this year to 18. It's a bipartisan mix of bills sponsored by Democrats, Republicans, and independents. 

Why does it matter?

These containers are common in food service, but the material is tied to long-lasting environmental and health concerns. Polystyrene is non-biodegradable, contributes to environmental pollution, and includes substances that can pose risks when heated.

For communities, that can mean more litter in waterways, higher cleanup costs, and more waste ending up in landfills.

Alaska would not have been alone in restricting the material. The cities of Bethel, Cordova, and Seward already banned polystyrene food containers, and roughly a dozen other states have adopted similar restrictions. A statewide standard could have replaced that patchwork with more consistent rules while helping reduce a common source of disposable waste.

What are people saying?

Supporters of the bill criticized the governor's broader pattern of vetoes.

House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, a Dillingham independent, said, "Every bill that he has vetoed thus far, in my view, served in a valid public purpose."

Frustration over the other vetoes was also evident in the public response. Anchorage Democratic Sen. Forrest Dunbar said that "in the battle against invasive species, Mike Dunleavy has joined the side of the invasive species."

For now, lawmakers have not decided whether they will try to override the latest vetoes.

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