Tacoma food-service businesses cannot sell or distribute expanded polystyrene foam foodware, packing peanuts, or coolers under RCW 70A.245. The statewide ban took effect in 2024, replacing prior local foam restrictions.
RCW 70A.245 phased out expanded polystyrene packing peanuts beginning June 1, 2023, and banned EPS food-service products like clamshells, plates, cups, bowls, trays, and portable coolers as of June 1, 2024. The state Department of Ecology administers the ban with warnings before civil penalties. Acceptable alternatives include molded fiber, recycled paper, certified compostable, or reusable foodware. The law also requires upstream producers of single-use foodware to register, label, and report. Tacoma businesses must source compliant containers from suppliers and must not sell EPS coolers or peanuts at retail.
Selling or distributing banned EPS items can result in Ecology warning letters, civil penalties up to 250 dollars per day per violation, and supplier-side enforcement against producers.
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See how Tacoma's polystyrene foam rules rules stack up against other locations.
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