Polystyrene Foam Regulation in Vermont
We wanted to inform you about a recent prohibition on the use of unencapsulated polystyrene foam floats in Vermont waterbodies. This was included within Vermont’s Flood Safety Act in 2024. This law requires that polystyrene foam be encapsulated when used in floating structures on or in Vermont waters. Floating structures covered by the Act include dock floats, mooring buoys, anchor buoys, and navigation markers. It also includes objects in or on the water that are secured in place by a piling or mooring anchor such as boathouses, fueling structures, floating homes, marinas, walkways, and boarding platforms.
Wind, waves, sunlight, heat, and organisms can cause uncovered polystyrene foam used in floating structures to break apart. In turn, small pieces of foam can spread, polluting waterbodies and the environment. This pollution can harm wildlife and pose health risks for people. This regulation aims to prevent pollution by polystyrene foam in Vermont waterways.
For more information about the law, or the effects of unencapsulated foam on the environment please visit https://go.uvm.edu/lcbmarinedebris, or
https://dec.vermont.gov/Unencapsulated-Polystyrene-Prohibition.
Please share this information within your community. We have bifold brochures with photos of allowed and disallowed floats and frequently asked questions about this law that we can provide you for distribution to your constituents. We also have some capacity to provide outreach about this new law if your community has an upcoming event where educational tables will be set up. Please contact us at lcbmdc@uvm.edu to request handouts or to schedule us to provide education at an outreach event.
Thank you!
–Lake Champlain Basin Marine Debris Coalition
For more information about the law, click here: https://vermontlakes.org/legislative-updates/banning-polystyrene-is-enacted-into-law/
Feature photo: Julie Silverman
