Food establishments cannot sell or distribute disposable food containers that partially incorporate or are entirely composed of polystyrene foam packaging, a ban that went into effect Jan. 1.
The limit on microplastics was an ordinance approved by the village board of trustees in May 2023. The decision reflects the village’s desire to mitigate climate change through its Climate Ready Oak Park plan.
Trustee Ravi Parakkat was the sole opposing vote to the 6-1 decision, stating that moving the ban forward a year from the originally proposed 2025 ignores community engagement and did not allow all restaurants time to properly prepare.
The ban on polystyrene, commonly known by the brand name Styrofoam, does not apply to food establishments with an annual gross income less than $500,000 per location until Jan. 1, 2025, according to Engage Oak Park.
Disposable food service containers that cannot have polystyrene include things such as service ware, bakery products and leftovers, but do not include coolers or ice chests used to process or ship seafood. It also does not apply to service ware used to transport to package raw meat, poultry, fish or seafood, according to Engage Oak Park.
Polystyrene foam packaging is allowed when services are provided in response to a public health emergency. Non-profits and federal, state or local governmental agencies that provide food to individuals in need are other exceptions to the ban. If polystyrene foam is prepackaged by the manufacturer, it is also allowed.
The approved ordinance from May 2023 also required food establishments to only provide single-use plastic utensils upon request or at a self-service station beginning June 1, 2023. There were seven exceptions to the rule, according to the ordinance.