Advocates praise bills aimed at reducing plastic, polystyrene use

Riyad Massoud hands off meals packaged in Styrofoam boxes to a customer at Yaba's Middle Eastern Grill in Logan Square on June 14, 2023. The Illinois General Assembly has passed recent bills aimed at reducing plastic and Styrofoam containers, and restaurant owner Ghaleb Massoud said switching to other types of containers will cost more, resulting in food price increases.

But some working in restaurants have concerns about a possible industrywide polystyrene ban in the future. “The alternative will be very expensive for us,” he said. “Actually, many restaurants cannot afford it.” “If a restaurant’s operations are set up for it, they can opt-in, but it is up to each restaurant and health code guidance,” said Sam Toia, president and CEO of the restaurant association.A spokesperson for state Rep. Anne Stava-Murray, co-sponsor of the reusable containers bill, said this bill would also apply to someone wanting to scoop their leftovers into their own container after dining.

At Beatrix Market in the Loop, customers come and go at the hot food bar. A spokesperson for Stava-Murray said buffet-style restaurants aren’t expected to comply with these requirements. “We were finding our garbages were just filled with plastic to-go containers, and I was mortified,” he said.and Trojanowski said they’ll likely stick to their policy of not allowing personal, reusable containers.

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