Alaska governor vetoes single-use polystyrene foam foodware ban

Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy has officially vetoed House Bill 25, a measure introduced by Representative Andy Josephson that aimed to prohibit single-use polystyrene foam foodware across the state. For now, polystyrene products will remain legal for use by commercial food vendors statewide.

Representative Andy Josephson (D-Anchorage), expressed deep disappointment with the executive action, arguing that a statewide ban on polystyrene food containers—commonly known as Styrofoam—was necessary to address persistent litter and prevent microplastic contamination in the state’s world-renowned fisheries.

In his veto message, Governor Dunleavy emphasized concerns over the economic fallout for small businesses and the increased regulatory burdens the ban would impose. The administration argued that restricting single-use foodware products would drive up operational costs for restaurants, convenience stores, and local food vendors, particularly in rural and remote Alaska communities where affordable alternative packaging options are difficult to source.

The bill, which passed the State Senate and House with bipartisan support this spring, would have aligned Alaska with states like Washington and Oregon in banning the material.

“The governor’s veto is a setback for Alaska and our oceans,” Christy Leavitt, Senior Campaign Director at Oceana, said. “Alaska is on the frontlines of the global plastics crisis, and leaders like Rep. Josephson in the state legislature stepped up with a meaningful solution. This veto undermines bipartisan action to reduce single-use plastic pollution at the source, and will only put Alaska’s communities, wildlife, and waters in further jeopardy. We applaud the efforts of the state legislature and look forward to working with lawmakers to pass this important bill in the future to phase out plastic foam foodware.”

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