Anne Hughes

Styrofoam food containers and coffee cups fill our landfills and pollute our parks, waterways and beaches. Last week the House approved legislation HB 5384 to ban restaurants and caterers from providing Styrofoam as to-go containers for customers.

There are plenty of biodegradable options that are cost-effective for businesses and meet the needs of consumers - all while keeping Styrofoam from piling up in our landfills.

Upon final passage, the bill will go into effect in of 2021 giving businesses two years to allow for the transition.

HB 5384 is very similar to the legislation passed in Washington D.C. in 2015 and in the Maine and Maryland legislatures this year.

Consumers have spoken. The industry is already beginning to offer biodegradable alternatives to polystyrene, such as pressed sugar cane, palm leaf and other compostable materials.

As the demand increases for these environmentally friendly containers the costs will be more competitive and less expensive.

Connecticut is on the front lines of the climate crisis, as a coastal state. While this styrofoam 'to-go' container phase-out is one small step towards addressing the enormity of the crisis we face, it does bring our behavior and consciousness more into daily alignment with the change we need. Let us celebrate good change together!