Polystyrene foam ban comes into effect in Oregon, US

HOUSTON (ICIS)–Senate Bill 543 was passed in 2023, but it was not until 1 January 2025 that the ban on polystyrene foam was implemented.

According to The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), “[The] 2023 Senate Bill 543 (ORS 459.465 to 459.477) prohibits food vendors from using polystyrene foam containers for prepared food, prohibits the sale of polystyrene foam containers or polystyrene foam packing peanuts, and prohibits the sale of foodware containers with added perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).”

“PFAS are a group of chemicals that are considered “emerging environmental contaminants” because public knowledge about their harmful effects and how they are regulated are relatively new or undeveloped. PFAS are water soluble and highly mobile, and can accumulate in living organisms. Many newer PFAS transform into highly persistent perfluorinated chemicals in the environment, and can last for hundreds to thousands of years, depending on the PFAS compound,” according to The Oregon DEQ.

What does this mean for polystyrene in Oregon? Well, the bill states that food vendors must not use polystyrene foam containers when selling, offering for sale, serving or dispensing prepared food to a consumer. Examples of this include to-go containers that many use to take home leftovers or to pick up food-orders. This also applies to polystyrene foam plates and cups.

Although food vendors must not use polystyrene foam, the bill also states that a person may not sell, offer for sale or distribute in or into the state polystyrene foam containers or polystyrene foam packaging peanuts. Also, a person may not sell, offer for sale or distribute in or into the state a foodware container containing intentionally-added PFAS.

The Oregon DEQ noted that businesses with existing inventory of the examples above may not use or sell the material after 1 January 2025.