Urgent! Senate Bill 51 needs your support to address Styrofoam pollution

Please call or write your Delaware state legislators urging them to support Senate Bill 51. This bill will eliminate polystyrene foam cups and takeout containers at food establishments. It also will reduce plastic pollution by eliminating plastic stirrers and food picks, and making plastic straws available by request only. Safer and more sustainable alternatives are available. It’s time to tell the legislature to get polystyrene foam out of Delaware!

Expanded Polystyrene is some particularly nasty stuff.

It's a foam plastic made from toxic petrochemicals including benzene. It is not biodegradable nor compostable. Instead, it crumbles or photodegrades, breaking down into smaller and smaller toxic microplastic pieces, making it impossible to fully clean up once it is thrown away and escapes into our environment, and allowing it to easily migrate into our food chain and water supplies.

Expanded Polystyrene is not accepted in curbside recycling.

It's already banned in several other states and large cities including New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, NYC and D.C. because it's so harmful to our health and our environment.

During the manufacturing process, workers exposed to styrene monomers have an increased risk of lymphoma, leukemia, and other forms of cancer. The industry ranks as the 5th largest creator of toxic wastes in the USA and these risks are especially prevalent in fenceline communities. This is a climate change issue, and an environmental justice issue.

Polystyrene foam also makes its way into our storm drains and our waterways.

Once in the water it will absorb 10 times more pesticides, fertilizers and chemicals than other kinds of plastic, increasing toxin exposure to fish and other aquatic animals.

Contact your elected State Representative today to ask them to protect us from expanded polystyrene by supporting Senate Bill 51.

Input your address to see the names of your legislators, and send them a note!