Alaska Governor Vetoes Plastic Foam Foodware Ban

Yesterday, Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy vetoed House Bill 25, led by Rep. Andy Josephson, that would have prohibited single-use polystyrene foodware in restaurants and across Alaska’s government. The bill, which passed the State Senate and House with bipartisan support this spring, would have aligned Alaska with growing action across the country, including similar policies in Washington and Oregon.

“The governor’s veto is a setback for Alaska and our oceans,” said Christy Leavitt, Senior Campaign Director at Oceana. “Alaska is on the frontlines of the global plastics crisis, and leaders like Rep. Josephson in the state legislature stepped up with a meaningful solution. This veto undermines bipartisan action to reduce single-use plastic pollution at the source, and will only put Alaska’s communities, wildlife, and waters in further jeopardy. We applaud the efforts of the state legislature and look forward to working with lawmakers to pass this important bill in the future to phase out plastic foam foodware.”

Plastic pollution is affecting Alaska’s ecosystems. Microplastics have been found in Southeast Alaskan glaciers, ocean waters, and Arctic sea ice. Polystyrene foam — one of the earliest plastics identified in the ocean — continues to contribute to the global plastics crisis. Ocean wildlife, including marine mammals, fish, and seabirds, often mistake foam for food, which can lead to malnutrition, starvation, and exposure to toxic chemicals. Plastic foam also poses risks to human health. Styrene, the primary component of polystyrene foam, is considered a probable carcinogen and can leach harmful chemicals into food and beverages.

Background

Plastic has been found in every corner of the world, and it’s one of the greatest threats facing our oceans today. An estimated 33 billion pounds of plastic enter the ocean every year — the equivalent of two garbage trucks full of plastic being dumped into the sea every minute. Plastic is in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and in our bodies. Plastic poses environmental and public health threats at every stage from extraction and production to use and disposal. It’s also one of the greatest contributors to climate change. In fact, if plastic were a country, it would be the fourth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world.

One of the most problematic types of plastic is plastic foam. Oceana’s 2025 report “Plastic Foam Needs ‘To Go'” outlined the dangers behind single-use plastic foam, including that it’s made with toxic chemicals linked to cancer. Plastic foam is also one of the most common types of marine plastic pollution and was one of the first types of plastic discovered in the ocean. National polling released in 2025 found that 78% of registered U.S. voters support national policies to reduce single-use plastic foam.

A 2020 Oceana report revealed evidence of nearly 1,800 animals from 40 different species swallowing or becoming entangled in plastic in U.S. waters between 2009 and early 2020. Of those animals, a staggering 88% were from species listed as endangered or threatened with extinction under the Endangered Species Act.

Recycling will not solve the plastics crisis. In fact, less than 6% of plastic in the U.S. is recycled. To address the problem, companies must reduce the production and use of unnecessary single-use plastic and develop systems that refill and reuse packaging and foodware. Government policies must ensure that companies act.

In February 2025, Oceana released the results of a nationwide poll revealing that an overwhelming majority of U.S. voters support policies that reduce single-use plastics. Overall, 81% of U.S. voters support reducing the amount of plastic that is produced. The national online poll, conducted for Oceana by the nonpartisan polling company Ipsos using the probability-based KnowledgePanel®, surveyed 1,111 registered U.S. voters from December 13 to 15, 2024.

Included among the key findings:

• 85% of U.S. voters support increasing the use of reusable packaging and foodware.
• 82% of U.S. voters support protecting people in neighborhoods that are affected by pollution from nearby plastic production facilities.
• 80% of U.S. voters support requiring companies to reduce single-use plastic packaging and foodware.

To learn more about Oceana’s campaign to stop plastic pollution, please visit usa.oceana.org/plastics.