Judge Upholds New York City's Ban On Styrofoam Cups, Containers
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Say goodbye to Styrofoam cups and containers in New York City.
A state judge has ruled the city's ban can go into effect immediately.
As CBS2's Lisa Rozner reported, Styrofoam is the only way to bring home meals from the Halal Kingdom food cart on Ninth Avenue near 58th Street.
"What are you guys going to do? How are you going to package the food?" she asked the manager.
"I don't know," he replied.
With the ban, eateries that use it to pack food to-go will have to find an alternative.
"We'll think about something. We're not going to leave the people of New York stranded," said Alex Mananas, manager of Flame restaurant.
More: City Council Members Discuss Renewed Plan For Law Banning Styrofoam Containers
The Restaurant Action Alliance sued the city over the ban in September, arguing Styrofoam and other polystyrene foam can be recycled. But the city's Department of Sanitation said it was not economically feasible.
On Friday, a judge agreed with the city.
"Styrofoam is really terrible for the environment," one resident told Rozner.
"It would not bother me at all," said another.
More: Judge Overturns New York City's Ban On Styrofoam Containers
There is some concern that restaurants will have to raise their prices, because alternatives to Styrofoam can be more expensive, Rozner reported.
Officials previously said the ban could keep nearly 30,000 tons of Styrofoam out of the city's streets, waterways and landfills.
More: New York City Ban On Styrofoam Products Takes Effect
It's still unclear when enforcement of the ban, which also applies to so-called foam packing peanuts, will go into effect.
Last month, Dunkin Donuts stopped using Styrofoam cups in New York City, and the company plans to do away with them entirely by 2020.
