Take Action: Urge Chicago City Council to Vote YES on Polystyrene Foam Ban
Great news! The polystyrene foam procurement ordinance has passed out of the Chicago City Council's Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy and is headed to the full City Council for a final vote tomorrow, Wednesday, October 14, at 10:00 a.m.
Friends of the Chicago River needs your help to get this ordinance across the finish line! We are calling on all Chicago residents to contact their alderperson TODAY and urge them to vote YES on the ordinance.
Every day, we see the impacts of plastic pollution in the Chicago-Calumet River system. An estimated 85% of trash found in and around our rivers is plastic, and roughly one-third of that is polystyrene foam. Much of this waste consists of disposable food containers and other single-use packaging. Once plastics enter the environment, they can persist for decades or longer, breaking down into microplastics. Research by scientists at Loyola University Chicago has found that nine in 10 fish in our river system have microplastics in their bodies.
Plastic litter also clogs drains and sewers, contributes to localized flooding, and requires significant cleanup resources. Reducing plastic pollution at the source is essential to protecting the health of our rivers, wildlife, and communities.
The ordinance represents an important first step toward reducing unnecessary single-use plastics in Chicago. If approved, beginning January 1, 2027, it would prohibit City departments and agencies from purchasing disposable food service containers made of polystyrene foam. As a member of the Coalition for Plastic Reduction and co-chair of the Chicago Coalition for Plastic Reduction, Friends has been working alongside partners to advance this ordinance, and we need your help to make it a reality!
How You Can Help
- Find your alderperson: Chicago Ward Lookup
- Call or email their office today and urge them to vote YES at Wednesday's City Council meeting.
- Spread the word! Encourage friends, neighbors, and other Chicago residents to contact their alderpeople.
Suggested Message to Your Alderperson
My name is [Name], and I am a resident of the [Ward Number] Ward. I am writing to urge you to vote YES on the polystyrene foam procurement ordinance at the October 14 City Council meeting. Plastic pollution is a serious threat to the Chicago-Calumet River system. An estimated 85% of trash found in and around our rivers is plastic, including significant amounts of polystyrene foam from disposable food containers and packaging. By eliminating polystyrene foam from City purchases, Chicago can lead by example and take an important step toward reducing plastic pollution at its source. Please vote YES on this ordinance to help protect our rivers and communities. Thank you for your consideration!
The vote is tomorrow! Please take a few minutes to contact your alderperson today and help us move Chicago toward a cleaner, healthier, and more litter-free river system.
