The war on foam containers continues. New York Governor Andrew “Amazon” Cuomo wants to ban single-use takeout containers and packing peanuts, both of which are made out of nonbiodegradable and not easily recyclable polystyrene. The proposal will be shared during the governor’s State of the State speech on January 8, and if it passes in the state Legislature, it will go into effect in 2022.
Cuomo’s statewide ban is based on one that already exists in New York City, which in January banned the use of containers, coffee cups, and packing peanuts, with some exceptions, for businesses like butcher shops and nonprofits. The counties of Albany, Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester have enacted their own bans as well. If Cuomo gets his way, New York will become the second state to ban foam products, following Maine.
