The state of Florida is looking to switch polystyrene products with reusable hemp products. This comes after Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried announced the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services started a rulemaking process to phase out the use of polystyrene products.
According to Ganjapreneur, Nikki Fried, a Democrat who is challenging incumbent governor Ron DeSantis believes that phasing out single use plastics could create a large influx of jobs to Florida as well as boom Florida’s business. In 2020, 290 acres of hemp was planted in Florida, lawmakers are looking to expand upon this number.
Many who have read the possible new law have stated that it could help Florida’s economy, post Covid-19 and eliminate pollution created from the polystyrene plants. This law could also reduce the amount of litter on the ground as well as help the environment.
“Polystyrene may be convenient, but there is a hidden danger to public health from these disposable consumer products. Chemicals in polystyrene are not only linked to human and animal health concerns, but because these petroleum-based products take at least 500 years to decompose, their negative effects continue long after they’re thrown away.” — Fried in a press release
The phase-out of polystyrene is expected to start in 2022 with fewer amounts of the plastic being allowed to be produced each year.
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