A Manhattan judge just un-banned styrofoam in New York

A few months back (which may as well be a few years back in internet time) we were all saying goodbye to the crumbly pollutant we all know and love, styrofoam. We had our last giant styrofoam margaritas at the Turkey’s Nest or beers at Rosemary’s and that was that. Except now styrofoam is back on the market in New York because a federal judge just ruled that actually, the city can recycle styrofoam, which noisily punches a hole leaving crumbs everywhere through the de Blasio administration’s rationale for banning the stuff.

Manhattan Supreme Court judge Margaret Chan handed down the ruling in favor of styrofoam and you not eating your halal cart from a plastic or paper container, ruling that there was “abundant evidence showing a viable and growing market for not just clean EPS (expanded polystyrene foam) but post consumer EPS material.” It’s now up to the city to figure out a way to recycle styrofoam without losing money, but city attorneys are already vowing an appeal.

The Restaurant Action Alliance, which brought the suit along with styrofoam manufacturer Dart Container Corporation, called the decision “a victory for the environment and for New York City,” which is a strange way to celebrate allowing a non-biodegradable material to was up on the shore and outside sewer drains, but the thrill of victory makes everyone a little exuberant.

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