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Maryland about to become first state to ban foam food containers

The House of Delegates voted to approve legislation that would ban polystyrene foam food containers.
Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
Foam for food is placed on wooden boards. Disposable food box

WASHINGTON — The Maryland state legislature took one step closer to banning foam food containers in the state on Tuesday.

The House of Delegates voted to approve legislation that would ban polystyrene foam food containers.

Maryland senators already approved their own version of the legislation. Now, the Baltimore Sun reports, the two different versions of the bill will be worked out in conference committee. 

Brooke Lierman, the sponsor of the bill, posted about her excitement on Facebook Tuesday.

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“Maryland may be a small state, but we have the chance with this legislation to LEAD the country on eliminating this horrible form of single use plastic from our state,” she wrote. “We have a duty to future generations to clean up the mess that has been made - this bill is an important step!”

She shared a graphic noting single use plastic makes up “roughly one quarter of municipal solid waste that can’t be diverted from the landfill” and cannot be recycled or composted.

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