Californians can now use a new state website to snitch on businesses violating the state’s Styrofoam ban.
The state says the new website is not intended to report on individuals.
The backstory: Senate Bill 54, which took effect at the start of the year, bans producers to sell, distribute or import expanded polystyrene (EPS), also known as Styrofoam, food containers.
- Producers would have been allowed to continue selling Styrofoam food containers under SB 54 had they been able to show a 25% recycling rate of EPS products statewide by the end of last year. That requirement was ultimately not met.
The big picture: CalRecycle launched a website to report any producers for selling Styrofoam in the state.
- People are asked to report the details of any Styrofoam sales by producers.
- The website notes that individual consumers are not prohibited from using Styrofoam containers.
What they’re saying: The new website drew attention on social media on Tuesday, drawing a response from CalRecycle.
- “This webpage is specifically to hold manufacturers accountable — it’s NOT to ‘snitch’ on consumers or restaurants,” CalRecycle posted on X. “California consumers are free to use any packaging they want — this state law only applies to producers.”
- CalRecycle also added that it is not the purpose of the page to report individual Californians or individually-owned restaurants that do not produce their own Styrofoam takeout containers.
