Styrofoam Banned On Bergen County-Owned Properties

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — Styrofoam has been banned on all county-owned facilities.

The Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders passed an ordinance Wednesday banning the use of polystyrene — known by the brand name Styrofoam — at all county premises and facilities and county-sponsored events.

The purpose of the ordinance is to "protect the health and welfare of Bergen County residents and promoted environmentally sustainable practices in the county," officials said in a statement.

Freeholder Tracy Silna Zur agreed.

"The county has an important role to play in environmental stewardship," Zur said. "This ban is just one important step in making sure we protect our ecosystems, and we encourage our municipalities to follow our lead."

The ban is the latest from a North Jersey government or school involving materials that could harm the environment, like plastic bags and Styrofoam.

Hoboken in August adopted an ordinance prohibiting the use of "single-use Styrofoam products" by restaurants, grocery stores, and retailers in the city. Officials there also banned "carry-out plastic bags."

Paramus in August banned single-use plastic bags and polystyrene food containers. The measure goes into effect Jan. 1, 2020. Retailers are required to provide recyclable bags and may choose to charge to customers at their discretion. The ban would not apply to plastic bags used to wrap produce, meat, fish or frozen food, or packaging used for items such as newspapers or dry cleaning.

The Leonia Public School District switched to non-Styrofoam trays last school year after the Leonia Action Alliance, a grassroots community group, urged the Board of Education to make the switch.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com