With 23,000 tons of foam used once and then thrown away in New York annually, the city's goal is keep 75% of waste out of landfills by 2030 – even though Styrofoam is technically recyclable.
Former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg said plastic foam is "virtually impossible to recycle and never biodegrades".
"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."
The foam is light and brittle so breaks down into tiny pieces that find their way into the ocean, adding to the Pacific Gyre and other dead zones.
In September last year McDonald's announced it would stop using Styrofoam for its drinks products, replacing it with paper cups instead.
Seattle, San Francisco, LA and dozens of smaller California cities have fully or partially banned the foam.
