Clean Virginia Waterways has identified expanded polystyrene (EPS) as a persistent and harmful threat to Virginian ecosystems, wildlife, and human health. EPS is the material that foam products are made of, like the commercially-known Styrofoam produced by DuPont, and is made by puffing up plastic pieces with gas, forming rigid products like cups, food takeout containers, or other insulating products in food service or construction.
Unfortunately, plastic foam often contains harmful chemicals that leach into our food and our environment, and easily breaks into smaller pieces that pollute our environment. Clean Virginia Waterways is providing this webpage as a resource for consumers, restaurants, and other interested parties wanting to address EPS usage and pollution.
Scroll through to find information on:
The environmental impact of EPS
Virginia EPS Ban
EPS Factsheets and articles
Education and outreach campaigns
Replacing EPS in school cafeterias
Environmental Issues
Foam breaks apart easily and litters our beaches, roads, and waterways. EPS does not biodegrade, nor is it easily or feasibly recyclable. As EPS breaks apart, it turns into microplastics (about the size of a pencil eraser or smaller), which become difficult to clean up in mass quantities.
During the 2024 International Coastal Cleanup, Virginians reported picking up over 15,000 pieces of foam and plastic, making up 9% of all pollutants cleaned up across the Commonwealth. Additionally, there were around 2500 pieces of foam packaging, 195 foam dock pieces, 2600 foam plates and cups, and 1600 foam food containers found littered across the state, making up another 4% of pollution in Virginia.
askHRgreen.org partnered with WHRO on this episode of Spotlight Earth. They dug into the truth behind widespread use of polystyrene, or Styrofoam, and its environmental impact. The video examines how this convenient material causes significant harm to the environment from production to disposal.
We’re Almost Foam-Free!
In an effort to reduce the amount of polystyrene entering the environment, Virginia passed section code “§ 10.1-1424.3. Expanded polystyrene food service containers prohibited; civil penalty,” requiring restaurants to phase out all polystyrene (otherwise known as Styrofoam).
After some back and forth in the General Assembly, the phase-out is began on July 1, 2025 for restaurants with more than 20 locations and will go into effect on July 1, 2026 for restaurants with less than 20 locations, many of which are small, locally owned businesses. Clean Virginia Waterways is working with many Virginia organizations to ensure that this phase-out goes smoothly for both restaurant owners and staff as well as consumers.
Virginia EPS Ban
Click on the icons to learn more
Virginia Code
How We Got Here
Some counties and cities have their own repositories and directives in their localities regarding the EPS ban. They will be compiled here as we find them.
Learn How You Can Get Involved in the EPS Ban Movement
AskHRGreen is elevating and sponsoring a BYO Container campaign, aimed at supporting customers bringing their own containers to restaurants to take their food leftovers home, instead of asking for a box.
AskHrGreen is also sending food-safe foam-alternative container kits to restaurants and food vendors to help them try out different materials and know what works best for them!
If you are a restaurant within Hampton Roads, request your sample kits and outreach materials today!
Education and Outreach Campaigns
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has double-side foam-free placards that can be distributed to restaurants and patrons.
Click either image for the printable version
WHRO Public Media and askHRgreen.org have teamed up to produce the video Foam Free.
Learn more about the video here.
Clean Virginia Waterways Partnerships
Clean Virginia Waterways has partnered with AskHRGreen and Virginia Green Travel to distribute outreach campaign materials throughout the state. Read about both the BYO Container and Proud to Be Foam-Free initiatives!
Clean Virginia Waterways and their EPS Phaseout Workgroup is working on adapting these kits and BYO Container stickers for the rest of Virginia outside Hampton Roads. Request your sample kits and/or BYO Container stickers for free below!
Virginia Green certifies restaurants and travel organizations for their sustainability efforts, one of which being the elimination of expanded polystyrene products. Clean Virginia Waterways and Virginia Green are working on a sticker campaign with many designs, such as the one on the left, to raise awareness of and promote sustainable businesses. “Proud to be Foam Free” window stickers are being passed out to Virginia Green-certified restaurants, or restaurants interested in becoming certified. Request your foam-free educational stickers for free using the order forms below!
Order Your Free Stickers Here
As supplies last. Shipments begin December 2025
Proud to Be A Foam-Free Business:
Stick this to your door, cash register, or other front-facing places to show your customers that you value theirs and the environment’s health and have removed foam food ware from your establishment!
BYO Container:
Stick this to food to-go boxes to remind your customers that they can bring their own containers next time, saving you money on supplies, and preventing more single-use waste!
Order Your Free Kits Here
As supplies last. Shipments begin December 2025
Proud to Be Foam-Free:
This sticker is intended for consumers to act as a pledge reminding them not to use foam food ware.
Virginia’s Foam Ban Also Applies to School Cafeterias
And there are many organizations dedicated to helping your schools switch to reusable or other sustainable foam tray and single-use plastic alternatives
Benjamin Schleifer
EDC Food Coordinator at the Center for Environmental Health, lead author of the Ditching Disposables Toolkit, and leading advocate and expert for healthier, more sustainable cafeteria practices.
For a good place to start, watch these short videos from the Reusables Webinar by the START Sustainable Schools Program at the Green Schools Alliance.
Dr. Manasa Mantravadi
Pediatrician and advocate for healthier school food systems, founder of Ahimsa and the Conscious Cafeteria Project, leading efforts to protect children’s health and the planet through safer, sustainable food ware.
Learn the Facts
Scroll through and click on the icons to find answers to your questions!
What is EPS? How is it Made? Litter and Health Effects
“80% of EPS ends up in landfills and 20% in waterways… The 20% of EPS that ends up as litter on land and eventually in waterways presents a significant environmental hazard to wildlife and is costly and labor-intensive to clean up
“Oceana assessed years of research on the pervasiveness and impacts of plastic foam and other types of polystyrene, which will worsen over time unless governments and companies take action to reduce its production and use.”
“Three plastics-related chemicals (BPA, PBDE, and DEHP) cost the United States $920 billion in healthcare and lost economic productivity due to disability, disease, or premature death.”
EPS Ban Resources, Info, Timeline
“EPS isn’t the best choice for people or the environment. It’s time to learn about and plan for alternatives.”
Public Opinion and Single-use Foam Policy Support
Also check out Oceana’s Plastic Foam Needs ‘To Go’ campaign!
News Articles and Blogs
Articles written by or featuring Clean Virginia Waterways staff and comments: