Plastic Straw Ban Adopted In Southampton

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — With an eye toward protecting the environment, the Southampton Town board has voted to ban plastic straws and other polystyrene products, town officials said.

Food establishments in Southampton will soon be prohibited from offering plastic straws, stirrers and containers made of polystyrene, including “clamshells” used for packaging, the town said.

The new law will take effect on May 8, to give eateries time to use up their stock of plastic and Styrofoam products and to begin securing alternatives including sturdy cardboard, stainless steel or bamboo products, the town explained.

The new legislation, first proposed by Southampton Town Councilwoman Julie Lofstad, was recommended by the town’s sustainability committee, which estimates that residents and visitors discard nearly 20 million plastic straws and 8 million polystyrene cups per year, much of which washes up along the town’s beaches, the town said in a release.

“This may be a small step but it’s a very important step,” Lofstad said. “Our environment is everything to us and anything we can do that’s not going to have harmful impacts on our businesses and residents is a no-brainer for me.”

In past months, a poll of 85 food establishments conducted by the town's sustainability committee indicated that 82 supported the ban; many had already stopped offering polystyrene products.

Restaurants will, however, be permitted to keep a small number of plastic straws for individuals with physical disabilities who require plastic straws, the town said.

Photo via Shutterstock.