This bill amends Arizona Revised Statutes to prohibit restaurants, food establishments, hotels, motels, and resorts from serving or packaging food and beverages in polystyrene foam containers, with a phased implementation starting January 1, 2025. Specifically, restaurants will be banned from using these containers for consumption on-site starting in 2025, while a broader prohibition for all listed establishments will take effect in 2026. Additionally, food packagers will be restricted from using polystyrene foam for packaging certain food items by January 1, 2027.

The bill also allows the Department to grant exemptions from these prohibitions under specific circumstances, such as undue hardship or if the applicant intends to use expanded polystyrene foam for transportation, construction, health, or safety applications. The Department is empowered to establish rules for implementation and enforcement, including a fee for exemption applications. Definitions for terms like "expanded polystyrene foam," "food packager," and "prepared food" are also provided to clarify the scope of the law.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 49-707