Sonoma County supervisors adopt polystyrene ban

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday formally approved a ban on single-use polystyrene foam products, joining several local cities that have already outlawed the widely used but wasteful to-go products.

The county’s ban, which applies to the unincorporated area outside cities, is set to take effect at the start of 2022. It prohibits food and beverage providers including restaurants, food trucks and convenience stores from using single-use polystyrene products such as containers, plates and cups. Stores also will be required to stop selling those products.

Supervisors endorsed the ban in late August.

Businesses have from September to January to replace the polystyrene products with alternatives.

Long on the board’s to-do list — and in keeping with its 2030 zero-waste pledge — the ban affects businesses outside of cities, which are not subject to similar bans adopted by several local councils, including Santa Rosa and Sebastopol.

You can reach Staff Writer Emma Murphy at 707-521-5228 or emma.murphy@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @MurphReports.