Washington state lawmakers pass far-reaching ban on single-use plastic foam

Taking an important step to address the plastic pollution crisis, Washington’s Senate and House concurred on a bipartisan bill Monday that aims to ban many kinds of polystyrene -- commonly referred to as “Styrofoam” -- food containers and increase recycled content in packaging. 

Following a concurrence in the state legislature, the bill will now go to Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk to be signed into law. Once signed, Washington will become the seventh state in the country to ban polystyrene foam takeout containers; it will become the fourth state, following New York, New Jersey and Virginia, to pass a polystyrene ban in the last 13 months.