RICHMOND, Va. — It’s something we’ve all used before: Styrofoam take-out containers and cups. But the polystyrene foam could be a thing of the past if a bill banning the plastic passes the General Assembly.
Right now, lawmakers in Richmond are split over the bill which would require chain restaurants to stop using containers by July 2023 and other restaurants and food vendors by July 2025.
Michael Mauch owns Virginia Beach restaurant Harvest. He says he doesn’t agree with the bill because even though it’s good for the environment, whether or not to use the plastic should be the decision of individual business owners and not the government.
“Personally, I don’t think the government should be in our business but I do understand why they would want to. I appreciate the eco-consciousness,” he said. "Each business really needs to make a decision on what they can and cannot afford, what they can and cannot do, sometimes it wouldn’t be the easiest for somebody to completely switch over.”
If the bill ever becomes law, Virginia wouldn’t be the first place to ban the plastic foam.
Maine and Maryland passed similar bills and places like New York City and Washington D.C. also banned Styrofoam.
Here in Hampton Roads, Busch Gardens Williamsburg stopped using Styrofoam containers last year.
And there are restaurants – like Harvest – who don’t use Styrofoam at all.
"We decided to use Greenware which is all plant-based. Our drink cups are made out of plants,” Mauch said.
The owner of Suffolk’s Brighter Day Café, Garret Watters, said he couldn’t break down an exact cost difference between plastic foam containers versus paper, but explained most business owners would likely determine the cost based on the pricing of their food.