River Forest’s ban on polystyrene took effect Jan. 1, although no citations will be issued for violations that occur in the first four months of the year and the ban will not affect smaller restaurants until 2025.
The village board voted in September to prohibit food establishments in the village from selling or distributing disposable food service containers composed of polystyrene foam, commonly known by the brand name Styrofoam.
Smaller restaurants with an annual gross income of under $500,000 must comply with the ban by Jan. 1, 2025. The ordinance also mandates the village to perform education and outreach efforts regarding the prohibition during the first four months of 2024 with no citations to be issued during that time.
Any violation of any provision of the Food and Food Establishment code is subject to fines up to $500. Beginning May 1, food establishments found in violation of the ordinance will be given one written warning prior to a citation being issued.
The ban does not affect retail stores selling products in polystyrene as long as the product came from the manufacturer that way. Also exempted are not-for-profit organizations; any federal, state or local governmental agency that provides food to economically disadvantaged individuals at no or nominal cost; and supplies and services provided in response to a public health or other emergency that is declared by a governmental agency with jurisdiction in River Forest.
In 2018, the World Health Organization classified styrene, a building block of polystyrene, as a “possible carcinogen.” It’s also harmful for workers in factories that produce it, according to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration.
According to the Restaurant Store, a foodservice industry supplier, the environmental repercussions of Styrofoam containers have led to bans similar to River Forest’s in cities and states across the United States. Nine states have laws limiting or banning polystyrene products, according to the advocacy group Environment Illinois.
Although Styrofoam products are marked as recyclable, many recycling centers across the United States do not accept and recycle foam products, which means that the majority of used Styrofoam products are placed in landfills, unable to be broken down over time.
