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Carroll County grants 45-day exemption for schools from Virginia expanded-polystyrene ban
Summary
At its meeting the Carroll County Board of Supervisors granted a 45-day local exemption to Carroll County Public Schools from the state ban on expanded polystyrene food-service containers and directed staff to prepare a formal resolution for the August meeting.
The Carroll County Board of Supervisors voted to grant Carroll County Public Schools a 45-day local exemption from Virginia’s ban on expanded-polystyrene (Styrofoam) food-service containers and asked staff to draft a formal resolution for the board’s next meeting.
County staff outlined that Code of Virginia 10.1-1424.3, which took effect July 1, 2025, prohibits dispensing prepared food in expanded-polystyrene containers but allows a locality to grant an exemption where compliance would impose an “undue economic hardship.” “Beginning 07/01/2025, they shall not . . . dispense prepared food to a customer in an expanded polystyrene food service container,” said Mister Durbin, a county staff member, while explaining the statutory text and the local exemption authority.
Durbin told the board that the school system had requested an exemption because it had not yet identified feasible alternatives and still must use existing supplies for some food-service operations, including summer meal programs. Durbin recommended a short-term exemption until the board could consider a formal resolution at its August meeting. Board members discussed extending the short-term authorization to cover summer feeding programs and ultimately amended the motion to a 45-day exemption to give staff time to prepare the resolution.
The board voted unanimously to grant the 45-day exemption. The motion and amendment were described and put to a roll call; members recorded yes votes in sequence (Mister Early; Mister Bryant; Mister Horton; Mister Collins; Mister Moore; and the presiding chair). The board directed staff to prepare a formal resolution for the August 4 meeting to consider an extension of up to one year.
The action applies specifically to Carroll County Public Schools’ request and does not state any county funding commitment. Board members discussed the school calendar—summer feeding programs run through August—and agreed the 45-day window would allow the schools to continue operations while staff prepares a resolution.
Next steps: staff will prepare a formal resolution for the board packet for the August meeting and the board can vote then on a longer exemption if warranted.
