Polystyrene foam, although great for retaining heat, is not biodegradable.
"This change allows us to save an estimated 14 million pieces of polystyrene foam dinnerware which is resistant to decomposition and difficult to recycle, from entering the environment each year," says Andrew Ngo, SeaWorld's corporate vice president of in-park revenue, in a statement."Reducing our environmental footprint is an important part of our mission, and this achievement is another step toward becoming greater stewards of our oceans, their animals and our planet."
This change comes less than a year after SeaWorld banned plastic straws and coffee stirrers from its parks. Some U.S. municipalities that have banned polystyrene include New York City, St. Petersburg and Maui County in Hawaii.
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This article appears in Feb 28 – Mar 7, 2019.