Ban Polystyrene Foodware, Lincoln!

FEBRUARY 2022 UPDATE

The town of Lincoln has published and made effective the new bylaw banning disposable foam and solid polystyrene foodware, which was authorized and took effect on February 1, 2022.

For more information and/or to engage with the MA Chapter, please give a shout.

Thanks to all who helped with this milestone victory that will help MA pass similar state law in the (near?) future!

MAY 15, 2021 UPDATE

Residents of Lincoln today voted to approve the bylaw to ban disposable foam and solid polystyrene foodware!

The next step is for the Municipal Law Unit of the Attorney General’s office to sign the measure and approve the effective date.

Stay tuned + reach out to engage on this or similar efforts!

MAY 3, 2021 UPDATE

The proposed polystyrene foam foodware reduction law has been accepted as a warrant article for Lincoln’s 2021 Annual Town Meeting, which is scheduled to start at 9:30 AM on Saturday, May 15, 2021, in the Hartwell Parking Lot.

The measure is Article 37 and has received the endorsement of Lincoln’s Board of Health. The town’s Select Board has declined to take a position.

Registered voters in Lincoln, MA are urged to attend the Town Meeting and vote in support of Article 37 (as well as 38 + 39, the bag charge authorization and straws, splash sticks, and stirrer reduction proposals!).

Please contact campaigns@ma.surfrider.org for more information or to get involved!

RECENT UPDATES

Due to the COVID pandemic and to limit potential exposure time of residents during Town Meeting (required to be in person by MA law), the Town of Lincoln elected to only address essential, legally-required business during the 2020 Town Meeting.

The Chapter and local allies are in communication to explore the possibility of leveraging the extensive preparation and outreach work of the previous year, and resubmitting the article for the 2021 Annual Town Meeting (presently rescheduled to start on Saturday 15 May 2021). Analogous articles passed in neighboring Sudbury, MA in late 2020.

HISTORIC ACCOUNT

The proposed bylaw seeks to prohibit retail and food establishments from using, distributing, or selling disposable food service ware made using foam or solid polystyrene. The bylaw would also prohibit retail establishments from selling certain items made from unencapsulated foam polystyrene. For more details about the proposed policy, please email campaigns@ma.surfrider.org.

Volunteers from the Chapter are working closely alongside volunteers from Mother Out Front - Lincoln and the Lincoln-Sudbury High School Environmental Club. The chapter drafted petition language and enough signatures were collected ahead of the deadline to ensure inclusion of the proposed article in the town meeting warrant.

A presentation was made to the Lincoln Board of Health on 1/22/2020, after which the Board of Health endorsed the article.

Extensive outreach efforts in town are underway in advance of the Town Meeting, which was initially set to begin at 930AM on 3/28/2020 but was postponed due to COVID-19. When Lincoln conducted their Town Meeting, a decision was made to drop everything from the agenda but for the essential budget items needed to keep the Town functioning.

The Chapter is tracking progress and aims to add this proposed bylaw to a future Town Meeting agenda.

Lincoln residents are urged to contact the MA Chapter to get involved.

Thank you!