The D.C. city council voted Tuesday to ban all plastic-foam food and beverage containers by 2016 and require recyclable and compostable containers by 2018 in an initial vote.
Mayor Vincent Gray (D) approved the ban’s inclusion in the Sustainable D.C. Omnibus Act of 2014 without any debate.
The ban was championed by environmentalists who argued that the plastic-foam containers would dissolve into particles that would be harmful to fish and wildlife.
However, the plastics industry objected to the ban, saying that it would impose burdensome costs on consumers and businesses.
According to The Washington Post, Democratic councilwoman Mary Cheh didn’t think that the ban would harm consumers. She held up her paper Starbucks cup, which she described as “great,” and said, “They won’t notice the difference, and they can feel better about themselves and the environment.”
The final vote could come as soon as July 14.