Foam containers in restaurants are going the way of incandescent light bulbs: They can still be found, but their once ubiquitous presence is quickly fading.
Many Twin Cities eateries have chucked the white stuff in favor of newer, eco-friendly products. So as the city of Minneapolis joins dozens of U.S. cities in renewing its ban on polystyrene foam, often called Styrofoam, a lot of restaurant owners and managers say they are already prepared or are looking into greener options to meet next year’s deadline.
“I have not had a call from any restaurant saying, ‘We can’t do it,’ ” said Dan McElroy, executive vice president of the Minnesota Restaurant Association. “Not all restaurants have prepared for the changes, but we have enough time.”
The ordinance, part of a goal to be a zero-waste city, will go into effect in April 2015 and is a revision to a 25-year-old rule banning difficult-to-recycle materials.
The guidelines mandate that restaurants, food trucks, grocery stores and event vendors only offer food in products that are easily recyclable, compostable or reusable.
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