Governor for US state of Washington signs Senate Bill 5022; bans expanded polystyrene foam takeaway containers by June 2024; beginning January 1, 2022 all single-use service ware only given to customers upon request; adds minimum recycled content requirement to many plastic containers and trash bags; no longer requires triangular arrow recycle symbol on hard plastic products
March 25, 2021
Virginia bans polystyrene and single-use plastics
US state governor passes legislation banning polystyrene foam food packaging partially by 2023 and fully by 2025; sets penalty of $50 a day, civil organizations to be exempted; signed executive order regulating phase-out of non-reusable plastics from public institutions by July 21, 2021
October 16, 2020
Process to recycle polystyrene for food contact applications
Mechanical recycling process developed by Styrenics Circular Solutions (SCS) passes set of tests to ensure removal of impurities; will be submitted to European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for review
August 7, 2019
Polystyrene microplastic and intestinal tissue
Experimental study examined uptake and effects of polystyrene microplastic on human intestinal cells and on mice; finds no relevant acute health risks to mammals
June 3, 2019
Vermont and California legislation on single-use packaging
Bills in both states aim to curb the use of single-use packaging and products; Vermont bans polystyrene packaging, plastic bags, straws; California to reduce waste from single-use packaging and products by 75%, require recyclability or compostability
May 9, 2019
Law firm questions Prop 65 recommendation
Keller and Heckman LLP perplexed by recommendation included in California state fact sheet on styrene under Proposition 65
May 2, 2019
Maine bans polystyrene food containers
U.S. state of Maine passes bill banning polystyrene food service containers; set to come into force January 2021
November 16, 2018
Risk assessment for styrene oligomers
Risk assessment based on TTC and FACET methodology finds low risk for styrene dimers and trimers migrating from polystyrene food containers
November 8, 2018
Documentary on EDCs in food packaging
New documentary explains endocrine disruption, highlights presence of endocrine disruptors in food packaging, presents possible solutions to reduce exposure
July 10, 2018
Polystyrene recycling to be set up in France
Consortium of French companies and organizations to develop industrial-scale polystyrene recycling channel in France by 2020