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Board grants Dickinson County Public Schools a one-year waiver from state polystyrene ban
Summary
Citing inventory and rising costs for alternatives, the Board approved a one-year waiver request from Dickenson County Public Schools so the district can deplete existing polystyrene food-service inventory and seek reasonably priced alternatives before the statewide ban fully applies.
The Dickinson County Board of Supervisors granted a one-year waiver to the county's public-school food-service program on June 23 from the statewide ban on polystyrene food-service containers.
Staff explained the state phased in the polystyrene restriction (2025 for chains with 20+ locations) and that July 1, 2026 is the date remaining food vendors must comply. The school food-service director provided a letter asking for a one-year waiver, citing inventory on hand, recent price spikes for alternatives and a cooperative purchasing contract where alternative three-compartment to-go trays had become considerably more expensive after supply- and geopolitical pressures.
The district's letter stated it would deplete current styrofoam inventory and transition to alternatives as feasible; staff recommended the board grant the one-year waiver under the statutory authority for local waivers where compliance would cause significant economic hardship or no reasonable alternatives exist. The board voted in favor of the waiver request by voice vote.
Staff noted retail food establishments have already been required to phase out polystyrene under the state schedule and that the waiver applies to the school food-service program for the one-year period the board authorized. The county will follow up with the school food-service director on the district's plan to identify and purchase compliant alternatives.
