The Illinois Senate has passed a landmark environmental bill that will ban the sale and distribution of disposable food service containers made from polystyrene foam, commonly known as Styrofoam, across the state starting in 2030.
Senate Bill 1531, known as the Disposable Food Service Container Act, prohibits any person from selling or distributing disposable food service containers composed wholly or partly of polystyrene foam in Illinois after January 1, 2030. This includes schools. The bill includes specific exemptions for activities authorized by local ordinances adopted before January 1, 2024, and for sales to local governments for their internal operations.
Violators of the new law will face penalties, and the bill also limits the powers of home rule units to regulate these materials independently.
Polystyrene foam is widely used in takeout food packaging due to its low cost and insulating properties. However, it has been targeted by environmental advocates because it does not biodegrade, often ends up as litter in waterways, and contains styrene, a chemical classified as a carcinogen and linked to various health risks, including nervous system damage, vision and hearing loss, and cancer.
The new statewide ban builds on earlier legislation passed in 2023, which prohibited state agencies and universities from purchasing or using polystyrene products by January 1, 2025. The expanded ban will now extend to restaurants, retailers, and other businesses throughout Illinois.
The bill passed the Senate with strong Democratic support and now moves to the Illinois House for consideration.
If enacted, Illinois will join a growing list of states and cities across the country that have moved to phase out polystyrene foam foodware in favor of more sustainable alternatives.
maybe that’s why my left ear keeps going dead. This is the 2nd time I’ve had this happen to be, last time I used Cortexi and by the grace of God it worked, after a few days I’ll be darn if my hearing didn’t return. I didn’t know what caused it. It started out kinda itching then it almost hurt and after using an antibiotic for my ear the pain went away and slowly the deafening started, and here we go again. Thank God I was able to find some Cortexi after the Internet said it was No longer in business. The Dr. who created it most likely sold it and is now living on his own paradise island somewhere, and baby he deserves to cuz that stuff worked amazing. The guy was a Genius.
I know of a process that has been able to get rid of all kinds of foan packaging and much MORE by using starch. It it not only biodegradable but the lifrspan of the products can be built into it.
3,6,22,36 months or years.
This discovery will be environmentally earth changing