Smart Restaurateurs Note Growing Distaste for Styrofoam

Fremont, California made headlines recently when its city council unanimously voted to pass an ordinance banning the city’s food vendors from using Styrofoam and other plastic-foam food containers.

Styrofoam Ban Effects all Food Establishments
No longer will restaurants, cafeterias, caterers or supermarkets be allowed to serve their prepared food in Styrofoam. Neither will charities and other large groups renting city facilities be allowed to use polystyrene trays, lids, plates, bowls or cups when serving their non-prepackaged edible goods. Instead, all food establishments in Fremont will be required to use containers that are either compostable or recyclable.

There are similar bans throughout California including partial bans on Styrofoam in Huntington Beach, Laguna Hills, Aliso Viejo, San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente. In addition, Edmonds, a city in Washington State is considering a Styrofoam ban similar to the one in Fremont, California. Two other Washington cities, Seattle and Issaquah, have already passed ordinances banning area restaurants from using Styrofoam.

Research Supports Environmentally Friendly Packaging
A flurry of research has examined the green movement in recent years and has found that there is large support among customers for the use of environmentally friendly packaging. In fact, these studies suggest that customers are looking for eateries which are moving toward an environmentally friendly approach in all areas of their operation.

In one study as many as 44% of respondents stated that the extent to which a restaurant works to conserve water and energy makes a difference in their decision whether or not to dine at that establishment.

Styrofoam Out, Green In
It’s becoming increasingly clear that to remain competitive restaurateurs must consider how they can lessen the impact their operation has on the environment. Organizations like Green Seal or the Green Restaurant Association help restaurant owners develop a comprehensive green plan. In addition, these organizations also provide third-party certification that both attracts customers and develops their trust.

Tags: environmentally friendly packaging, Styrofoam, Styrofoam ban