Baltimore's Foam Food Container Ban Takes Effect Saturday

Starting Saturday, businesses that sell food in polystyrene foam containers in Baltimore City would be fined $200 for each sale they make using the outlawed packaging.

The ban is part of an effort to reduce trash and environmental pollution. A statewide ban takes effect next July.

Ronald Attman, CEO of Acme Paper & Supply Co. in Savage, said his company has had to change the way it does business. The company supplies containers to restaurants up and down the East Coast.

"It's definitely impacted our company. We've had to change our product mix over the time because Styrofoam was a very popular substrate for people to use in their business, but people have adjusted, and in some cases, they've been able to better their business by using products that have some other good qualities to them," Attman said.

Attman said restaurant customers will adjust to the new containers, noting they are more durable and less likely to leak. Most are recyclable and some are compostable. He said he is confident restaurants and consumers will get used to the change. However, in some cases, the new containers may be more expensive and the cost may be passed along to consumers, Attman said.

That is one of the reasons some business owners and lobbyists oppose these bans.

A similar ordinance took effect in Annapolis on Sept. 1 and takes effect across Anne Arundel County on Feb. 29, 2020.

The state's ban will take effect July 1, 2020.

The foam container ban is taking effect as the Baltimore City Council is considering a ban on plastic bags.

Attman said he has concerns about that proposed ban, noting that there is a shortage of paper bags that some stores might use as an alternative.