Montana hearing on HB 477: sponsor seeks five-year phase-out of polystyrene food containers

Representative Marilyn Marler, sponsor of House Bill 477, told the House Natural Resources Committee that the bill would phase out expanded polystyrene food service containers in Montana over five years, with staggered compliance dates for restaurants, to‑go containers and food shippers. "This is the year 20 25 that were living in," Marler said, outlining a timeline that would begin enforcement in January 2028 and expand in subsequent years.

The bill would ban the use of expanded polystyrene for served food and drinks in restaurants beginning January 2028 (while initially allowing to‑go uses), extend the ban to to‑go food service in January 2029, and require food processors and shippers to stop using polystyrene packaging by 2030. Meat and egg packaging are carved out as explicit exemptions and the bill establishes a process for other businesses to request exemptions with a short justification. Marler said the bill’s language uses “may not” instead of “shall not” and includes an exemption path to ease the transition.

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