Officials in a New England state are reporting that a measure to reduce waste has proved to be more successful than anticipated.
Eco Rhode Island News reports that legislation to enact a statewide ban on single-use Styrofoam containers and plastic stirrers is working much better than previous measures passed by the General Assembly.
The Rhode Island Department of Health's public information officer, Joseph Wendelken, said: "We're seeing high rates of compliance."
According to the department, since the ban came into effect, just over 5% of the businesses inspected were still using the containers, and only 1.7% were handing out plastic stirrers. The guidelines state that violators could be fined up to $100 for non-compliance, but no fines have been handed out yet. Instead, the department is prioritizing raising awareness to ease the transition.
As the name suggests, Styrofoam containers are made using styrene, which the National Toxicology Program listed as "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen." In addition to the health risks, the containers take five centuries to degrade fully, and before it does that, it breaks down into increasingly smaller particles. It's one of the reasons why microplastic particles have contaminated every corner of the globe.
Rhode Island isn't the only state stamping out Styrofoam.
Oregon passed a similar law that also went into effect this year. California has enacted its own ban and is empowering residents to report violations of the law. Illinois is also considering a sweeping ban on polystyrene foam for food packaging.
Of course, there's no need to wait for every state to take action against single-use plastics, as there are several practical steps individuals can take to reduce plastic pollution. For example, those flimsy plastic grocery bags are best replaced with sturdier reusable bags.
Supporting the companies that take responsibility for their packaging is another way, as is repurposing old containers.
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