There’s nowhere in the world where takeout food is more popular than it is in New York City. But, changes to this culture are in the works. Beginning this month, a citywide ban on single-use plastic foam containers is in effect, and the rollout in food establishments gives them until the end of June to be in compliance. So why not just call it what it is—why this fancy “single-use foam” moniker instead of just saying “Styrofoam”? Because, since you yearn for such knowledge, just as every soft drink isn’t a “Coke” and every facial tissue isn’t a “Kleenex,” every takeout box is not Styrofoam. Fact is, none of them are. “Styrofoam” is a brand name product Dow Chemical invented to be the original Extruded Polystyrene Foam used as insulation in construction applications. In fact, Styrofoam has never been used in a takeout box. So, now you have a fun fact to talk about over lunch….as long as your meal doesn’t involve takeout from a NYC restaurant and use spongy foam clamshells, cups, plates, bowls, or trays. New York shippers take note: Packing peanuts are also now banned.
There will be some exceptions for food items that were packaged before they reached the Big Apple’s stores and restaurants, primarily foam containers used to store raw meat, seafood, or poultry. Other exceptions could be made for small business owners who can demonstrate that buying alternative, non-foam products will “create financial hardship.”
After some confusion over exactly what products were covered by a 2014 law, a single-use straw ban is finally also in place this month in Washington, DC. The 2014 act banned disposable expanded polystyrene and other products that couldn’t be recycled or composted, but then straws were exempted for a brief time in 2018. The Department of Energy and Environment is now very specific about where the straw ban is in place: delis, cafes, food trucks, grocery stores, and daycare providers, but it also even extends to companies, churches, and nonprofits that provide free coffee or food.
“Many places have started using hay straws, which are popular — they hold up well in drinks,” Zachary Rybarczyk, part of the DOEE’s enforcement team said. “We’ve seen restaurants switch over to paper straws and other reusable straws that are also popular in bars.”
Of course, you’re probably already trying to work with suppliers to take advantage of sourcing alternative straws for your clients. While inventories are tight due to high demand, there are some choices out there in alternatives made of paper, silicone, glass, and metal. Don’t let your supplier partners tell you that they’re not ready to make the investment just yet. There’s money to be made here, and there is manufacturing of paper straws even being done domestically. Fort Wayne, Indiana-based Aardvark Straws makes paper straws that the company describes as marine-friendly, naturally degradable, FDA/EU compliant, and compostable. Although the company has been around since 2007, it grew 5,000% last year alone.
This issue is not going away, major announcements of ditching single-use products have come recently from organizations like Marriott International, Starbucks, McDonald’s, Hilton, Disney, Red Lobster, Live Nation, and Delta. And finally, what was the 2018 Word of The Year according to the publishers of Collins Dictionary? Of course, “Single-use”. You should probably add it now to YOUR dictionary of selling terms for 2019.
Jeff Jacobs has been an expert in building brands and brand stewardship for 40 years, working in commercial television, Hollywood film and home video, publishing, and promotional brand merchandise. He’s a staunch advocate of consumer product safety and has a deep passion and belief regarding the issues surrounding compliance and corporate social responsibility. He retired as executive director of Quality Certification Alliance, the only non-profit dedicated to helping suppliers provide safe and compliant promotional products. Before that, he was director of brand merchandise for Michelin. You can find him volunteering as a Guardian ad Litem, traveling the world with his lovely wife, or enjoying a cigar at his favorite local cigar shop. Connect with Jeff on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram, or reach out to him at jacobs.jeffreyp@gmail.com.