Styrofoam Is Banned in LA.

Now What? - Discover Styrofoam Alternatives Here!

In April 2022, the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego introduced ordinances that effectively banned the manufacture, sale, and distribution of single-use expanded polystyrene (EPS) products (styrofoam). In one fell swoop, food providers, public facilities, offices, and a host of other businesses were told that this material could no longer be used as cups, plates, takeout containers, packing peanuts, and a host of other styrofoam items. The California styrofoam ban has created a shift that, while anticipated, is nonetheless demanding for many businesses.

Following the letter of the directives, this ban is now in effect in both cities as of April 2023. Let’s look at the ordinances and why they were put in place, then talk about Unisan’s styrofoam alternatives.

California Is Just the Beginning
The push to ban styrofoam in California reaches well beyond Los Angeles and San Diego. Nationwide, 8 states are phasing it out as well as other cities in California, including San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose.

But at the state level, California has passed the Plastic Pollution Producer Responsibility Act, the toughest legislation of its kind in the country. This law has the goal of reducing plastic waste in the state by 25% over the next 10 years, with a 10% reduction demanded of producers by 2027. The legislation reads, in part, “As the fifth largest economy in the world and a global center of innovation, California has a responsibility and ability to lead on solutions to the growing plastic pollution crisis and waste reduction generally.”

With single-use plastics going extinct in California and elsewhere, businesses in the state are scrambling for styrofoam alternatives. But there are good reasons to ban styrofoam containers, and California’s leadership will result in an eventual nationwide reduction in plastic waste, benefiting not just the USA but the world. And now, federal legislation is moving to the US Congress in the form of the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act as the movement picks up speed.

A Move to Recyclable Styrofoam Alternatives
By 2032, all single-use plastics used in food service containers and packaging must be either compostable or recyclable, with a goal of a 25% reduction in plastic packaging. A further goal demands that all single-use packaging be recycled at a rate of 65%. Producers are already able to provide alternatives to styrofoam but it’s assured that further innovation in the sector is bound to follow as the industry responds to the PPPR Act.

To facilitate these seismic changes, plastics manufacturers will participate in a PRO (Producer Responsibility Organization) taking charge of California’s state-run recycling program. All producers must belong to a PRO by 2024. This innovative non-profit mechanism of the legislation brings producers into the heart of accountability. But PROs will also be responsible for a unique tax structure applying to companies that continue to produce plastics.

The goals of the PPPR Act address the frightening global reality that plastics contribute overwhelmingly to the catastrophic consequences of climate change. Causing 232 tonnes of emissions, the equivalent of 116 power plants running on coal, single-use plastics are costing us all. The styrofoam bans in Los Angeles and San Diego are provoking a move to biodegradable alternatives to styrofoam, and the world is taking California’s lead. Now’s the time for CA businesses to seek styrofoam alternatives that keep them in compliance with the Act.

Short-Term Pain but Long-Term Gain
The plastics sector is responding with dismay, while businesses seek out solutions to the impending extinction of styrofoam in their respective jurisdictions. But businesses face challenges every day. And entrepreneurs know that the game can change overnight. This game has been changing for the past several years, with environmental lobbyists engaging with California’s state government for meaningful reform - to ban styrofoam and other single-use plastics.

Now that the legislation has taken effect, it’s important that we all sit up and take notice. Not doing so comes with fines of up to $50,000 per day for non-compliance by producers and distributors. So what are food industry people to do? As always, when the game changes, entrepreneurs seek solutions. Unisan, your friendlier local supplier, has those solutions in a range of sustainable styrofoam alternatives.

Sustainable Styrofoam Alternatives
Come home to Unisan for a selection of biodegradable plates and cups to replace your use of styrofoam. We distribute quality food service items like recyclable paper cups, made from 100% plant-based renewable materials. But we also stock items made from sugarcane fiber.

Sugarcane fiber (bagasse) has been used as pulp for making paper for the past several years. But it’s been used as a construction material since after WWII when conventional building materials were in short supply. Today, it’s used in manufacturing acoustic tiling, as pulp, and in pressed wood board. But it’s also used to create a range of paper products and even in some foods. Unisan carries a range of food service products made from this material, which is a biodegradable styrofoam alternative.

Once the juice of the sugarcane has been extracted, this natural material remains, providing an excellent source of pulp for paper that’s imminently sustainable, sparing the felling of trees for the production of paper.

Imagine a paper bowl that’s heat resistant, biodegradable, and made from a plant that renews rapidly. And it’s compostable! For food service businesses and others seeking styrofoam alternatives, sugarcane-based products meet the requirements of the California styrofoam ban. But you’ll also find 6” and 9” dinner plates at Unisan, compostable in 45-60 days in commercial composting conditions. The solutions are at your fingertips, with your friends at Unisan.

Be Part of the Solution, With Unisan
The styrofoam ban in California, with ordinances arising in San Diego and Los Angeles, has issued an unequivocal wake-up call to the world. The uncompromising state legislation and the ordinances in these two great California cities are prompting other municipalities in the state to follow suit. All over the USA, other towns, cities, and states are joining the effort to reduce single-use plastics and to prioritize styrofoam alternatives.

Your friendly local suppliers at Unisan are ready to help with your transition to a more sustainable model. Visit regularly to discover more about what we’re doing to support the success of the PPPR Act and the businesses impacted by it, including new sustainable product launches. With the styrofoam alternatives you need at competitive prices, you’ve got an ally in Unisan. We’re a supportive supplier who puts your needs first. Reach out to us today to find out more!