Avon Passes Polystyrene Foam Ban Effective in 2021

Avon is the first community in Colorado to ban

expanded polystyrene food containers

Avon, CO – On January 28^th, the Avon Town Council unanimously passed Final Reading of Ordinance No. 19-11, which bans expanded polystyrene (i.e. Styrofoam) take-out food containers for prepared foods. The effective date of Ordinance No. 19-11 is January 1, 2021.
 
Ordinance No. 19-11 is conditioned upon the repeal of a Colorado Revised Statute 25-17-104 that prohibits local government regulation of plastics. Senate Bill 20-010 Repeal Ban On Local Government Regulation Of Plastics was introduced on January 8^th. Senator Kerry Donovan and Representatives Meg Froelich and Alex Valdez sponsored Senate Bill 20-010.
 
Ordinance No. 19-11 was originally proposed in 2017, then put on hold while the Town focused on implementing the plastic bag ban and the $0.10 paper bag fee. A ban on expanded polystyrene food containers was a specific recommendation in the 2016 Climate Action Plan adopted by the Town of Avon, Eagle County and other members of the Climate Action Collaborative.
 
A statewide ban on the use of expanded polystyrene containers for prepared foods is also under consideration by the Colorado Legislature. House Bill 20-1162 Prohibit Food Establishments’ Use of Polystyrene was introduced on January 21, 2020.
 
More information is available at www.avon.org under Town Initiatives. If you have any questions, you may contact Town Manager Eric Heil at eheil@avon.org.

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