The Minneapolis City Council has banned polystyrene containers, a move which is said to affect local restaurants as well as other establishments.
The ban, which is expected to come into force from 22 April 2015, also legitimizes food containers that are compostable.
According to the city council member Andrew Johnson, there will be a ban on the usage of white foam coffee cups and food to-go containers from the fast-food landscape and the waste stream of the city.
Polystyrene is essentially not recyclable, and as many as ten million polystyrene containers in the city trash annually, reports startribune.com.
As per the new law, violators will pay less administrative fee but will have to face tougher scrutiny, noted Johnson.
Under the new measures, restaurants are required to offer food to customers only in recyclable or compostable cups, plates and to-go containers.
Recycling bins should be provided by restaurants and other food sellers for recyclable containers and composting bins need to be in place for composting containers.
With the new rules in place, it became mandatory for the city health and food inspectors to check for the rogue packaging and the public has an option to report on violations on the city's website or by calling 311.
Polystyrene containers are also banned by dozens of other cities around the country.
Polystyrene is a synthetic aromatic polymer made from the monomer styrene and can be rigid or foamed. It is very slow to biodegrade and therefore a focus of controversy, since it is often abundant as a form of litter in the outdoor environment.
Image: Polystyrene containers. Photo: Courtesy of winnond / FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
