House cafeterias stop using foam food containers

The House’s cafeterias have decided to stop serving in foam food packaging after Democrats pushed for a ban.

It is the second time polystyrene, also known by the brand name Styrofoam, has been kicked out of House cafeterias. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) banned it when she was speaker, but Republicans brought it back when they took the majority in 2011.

{mosads}This time, the decision was made by the cafeterias’ management, the Huffington Post reported. Not all cafeterias have switched to other materials, but some had not as of Friday, the Huffington Post said.

Rep. Bob Brady (Pa.), top Democrat on the House Administration Committee, which oversees the food service in House buildings, confirmed the change.

“Ranking Member Brady is very pleased that the House is eliminating polystyrene food and beverage containers for more environmentally responsible options,” Kyle Anderson, a spokesman for Brady, said in a statement.

“It’s the right thing to do and definitely a step in the right direction,” he said.

Earlier this month, 59 House Democrats, including Brady, Rep. Henry Waxman (Calif.) and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (Ore.) asked the House’s Republican leadership to prohibit the eateries from serving in polystyrene.

The Democrats cited a new law in the District of Columbia that banned serving in polystyrene. Congress is not subject to the local law.

The lawmakers wrote that polystyrene is harmful to the environment because it is very slow to degrade, and they said styrene, if which polystyrene is made, could be harmful to people’s health.

The Senate, controlled by Democrats, does not use polystyrene.