Boston bans polystyrene foam foodware including cups, plates, clamshells, and trays at restaurants, cafeterias, and city facilities, requiring compostable, recyclable, or reusable alternatives instead.
Boston's polystyrene ordinance, adopted in 2017 and expanded under Mayor Wu's 2022 executive order on single-use plastics, prohibits food establishments from selling or distributing prepared food in expanded polystyrene containers. The rule covers cups, bowls, plates, clamshell containers, and trays. Vendors must switch to recyclable or compostable foodware, and city contractors and city-run facilities also must comply. ISD inspects compliance during routine food-establishment visits. The ordinance aligns with Massachusetts' broader push to phase out polystyrene in K-12 schools and state agencies under Executive Order 594.
Food establishments using banned foam containers receive warning letters first, then escalating fines up to $300 per day under Boston Code, with possible food-permit consequences for chronic offenders.
Boston, MA
Boston Ordinance 16-26, the Plastic Bag Reduction Ordinance, bans thin plastic checkout bags at retailers and requires a 5 cent minimum charge on recycled-pa...
Boston, MA
Boston requires food establishments to provide single-use utensils, straws, condiment packets, and napkins only when a customer requests them, reducing the d...
See how Boston's polystyrene foam rules rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.