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Deerfield Beach Joins Miami Beach in Banning Foam Containers

Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.
AP
/
The Florida Channel
Leon County Judge John Cooper on June 30, 2022, in a screen grab from The Florida Channel.

Deerfield Beach is following Miami Beach's lead in prohibiting plastic foam containers, like Styrofoam, on the sand.

Deerfield Beach officials banned polystyrene containers, like coffee cups and coolers, from all city events starting October 1. Even vendors can’t use the material, which isn’t biodegradable and often ends up in the ocean.

Dart Container Corporation, a company that makes polystyrene and is headquartered in Deerfield Beach, has partnered with the city to start a collection and recycling program for the containers. Dart will gather containers from the waste drop off site once a week. Residents won’t have to do anything differently.

Pompano Beach officials have expressed interest in a similar program, if it works well for Deerfield. But Dart executives aren’t making any promises for other cities. 

The Deerfield program starts on December 15.

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Caitie Switalski is a rising senior at the University of Florida. She's worked for WFSU-FM in Tallahassee as an intern and reporter. When she's in Gainesville for school, Caitie is an anchor and producer for local Morning Edition content at WUFT-FM, as well as a digital editor for the station's website. Her favorite stories are politically driven, about how politicians, laws and policies effect local communities. Once she graduates with a dual degree in Journalism and English,Caitiehopes to make a career continuing to report and produce for NPR stations in the sunshine state. When she's not following what's happening with changing laws, you can catchCaitielounging in local coffee shops, at the beach, or watching Love Actually for the hundredth time.