The Virginia General Assembly passed a lawn in 2021 that bans the use of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS), known commonly as Styrofoam, by food vendors. Polystyrene takes over 500 years to break down, is frequently littered, breaks into microplastics that are easily ingested by wildlife and contaminate the environment, and is linked to cancer and nervous system damage.
By law, localities may grant food vendors exemptions of up to one year for compliance with the EPS ban. The exemption can be renewed if the vendor meets the criteria and reapplies before the exemption expires.
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