--- title: "NYC Bans Foam Packaging, But Industry Group Wins Concession" id: "21033" type: "post" slug: "nyc-bans-foam-packaging-but-industry-group-wins-concession" published_at: "2013-12-23T21:17:16+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-16T03:26:16+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/12/23/nyc-bans-foam-packaging-but-industry-group-wins-concession/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/12/23/nyc-bans-foam-packaging-but-industry-group-wins-concession.md" excerpt: "While an association and major manufacturer lobbied hard against New York City's ban on \"environmentally destructive\" polystyrene foam packaging, the company hopes that a compromise which allows them to prove the material can be recycled can buy them some time." taxonomy_category: - "Advocacy" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "Business" - "IT Policy" - "recycling" - "safe environment" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "C-Level" - "Executive Team" - "For-Profit CEO / President / Owner / Partner" taxonomy_persona: - "Industry Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » NYC Bans Foam Packaging, But Industry Group Wins Concession ## While an association and major manufacturer lobbied hard against New York City’s ban on “environmentally destructive” polystyrene foam packaging, the company hopes to buy some time with a compromise that allows it to prove the material can be recycled. Can polystyrene be recycled on a large scale? That’s a question weighing on the minds of Dart Container Corp. right now. The major container manufacturer, along with the American Chemistry Council (ACC), lost a major legislative battle last week, as New York City banned the ubiquitous plastic foam used in everything from packaging to plastic cups. But the decision—capping one of Michael Bloomberg’s final initiatives as the city’s mayor—came with a little wiggle room for Dart and ACC. The company has more than a year to prove the material can be recycled. More details: **About the ban:** The ban, which was passed unanimously last week, prohibits retailers, food carts, and restaurants from using expanded polystyrene, a thermoplastic product derived from petroleum. The city argued that the products were nearly impossible to recycle and were filling up landfills at high rates. [Bloomberg pushed for the ban in a February State of the City speech (opens in a new tab)](http://www.cbsnews.com/news/bloomberg-pushes-green-agenda-in-final-nyc-state-of-the-city/) , saying the material is “something that we know is environmentally destructive and that may be hazardous to our health, that is costing taxpayers money and that we can easily do without, and is something that should go the way of lead paint.” For its part, ACC, [which funded a study (opens in a new tab)](http://www.putalidonitnyc.com/sites/default/files/NYC%20Foodservice%20Impact%20Study%20March%202013.pdf) [PDF] showing that New York City is responsible for $97.1 million in plastic foam food container sales each year, argues that the cost of alternative options would be significantly higher for businesses. The ban is not unique: Other cities, including San Francisco and Portland, already have them, [the Bloomberg wire service reports (opens in a new tab)](http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-12-19/new-york-city-council-approves-ban-on-plastic-foam-containers) . **Room for a plan B:** Dart, which had pushed hard to block the ban—even going so far as [to offer to pay the city $160 (opens in a new tab)](http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/230110#) per ton to recycle the material in its own facilities—ultimately [dropped its opposition (opens in a new tab)](http://www.plasticsnews.com/article/20131216/NEWS/131219945/dart-drops-opposition-to-new-york-city-foam-bill) to the bill last week after a compromise was reached. The company, which makes half of its revenue from polystyrene sales, will get a year to prove that the material can be recycled and resold in a commercially viable way. This may prove a challenge, however, as plastic foam breaks down differently from paper or other kinds of plastics and can be difficult to clean. Dart has launched a site, “[Foam Facts (opens in a new tab)](http://www.foamfacts.com/recycling/) ,” to explain the potential processes for recycling the material. The bill was one of many the council passed last Thursday. The city also extended a ban on public smoking to e-cigarettes and required food establishments to compost their food waste. (iStock/Thinkstock) [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Tags: [#Business](https://associationsnow.com/tag/business/) [#IT Policy](https://associationsnow.com/tag/it-policy/) [#recycling](https://associationsnow.com/tag/recycling/) [#safe environment](https://associationsnow.com/tag/safe-environment/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoUrban Land Institute- Project Recovery: Rebuilding Los Angeles After the January 2025 WildfiresSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/urban-land-institute-project-recovery-rebuilding-los-angeles-after-the-january-2025-wildfires/) - [VideoThe Career Moves Every Association Leader Needs Right NowSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/the-career-moves-every-association-leader-needs-right-now/) - [VideoNCRA: Safeguarding Cancer Surveillance: An Advocacy Response to FY26 Budget ThreatsSeptember 24, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/24/ncra-safeguarding-cancer-surveillance-an-advocacy-response-to-fy26-budget-threats/) - [PodcastAssociations NOW Presents: All for the Love of Chicago: Rethinking the Destination ExperienceSeptember 10, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/09/10/associations-now-presents-all-for-the-love-of-chicago-rethinking-the-destination-experience/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2013%2F12%2F23%2Fnyc-bans-foam-packaging-but-industry-group-wins-concession%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !