{"id":3632,"date":"2026-05-14T14:49:03","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T18:49:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/?page_id=3632"},"modified":"2026-05-15T09:58:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T13:58:16","slug":"polystyrene-foam-regulation-in-vermont","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/polystyrene-foam-regulation-in-vermont\/","title":{"rendered":"Polystyrene Foam Regulation in Vermont"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>In 2024, the State of Vermont passed the Flood Safety Act, which requires that polystyrene foam be encapsulated when used in floating structures on or in Vermont waters.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Polystyrene foam pollution affects Vermont waters and Lake Champlain basin in general. Winds, 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, making them difficult to clean up. Once in the environment, foam pieces do not biodegrade. They carry toxic chemicals coming from the production process and the surrounding environment. This pollution can harm wildlife and pose health risks to people. The Flood Safety Act aims to prevent polystyrene foam pollution in Vermont waterways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Lake Champlain Basin Marine Debris Coalition has created education materials to help you understand this regulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"wp-rich-text-font-awesome-icon wp-font-awesome-icon\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-prefix=\"fas\" data-icon=\"file-lines\" class=\"svg-inline--fa fa-file-lines \" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 384 512\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M0 64C0 28.7 28.7 0 64 0L213.5 0c17 0 33.3 6.7 45.3 18.7L365.3 125.3c12 12 18.7 28.3 18.7 45.3L384 448c0 35.3-28.7 64-64 64L64 512c-35.3 0-64-28.7-64-64L0 64zm208-5.5l0 93.5c0 13.3 10.7 24 24 24L325.5 176 208 58.5zM120 256c-13.3 0-24 10.7-24 24s10.7 24 24 24l144 0c13.3 0 24-10.7 24-24s-10.7-24-24-24l-144 0zm0 96c-13.3 0-24 10.7-24 24s10.7 24 24 24l144 0c13.3 0 24-10.7 24-24s-10.7-24-24-24l-144 0z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Dock-Float-Types-Comparison_2026-04-08.pdf\" data-type=\"attachment\" data-id=\"3651\">Dock Float Systems: Life Span and Risks of Foam Pollution (PDF)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"wp-rich-text-font-awesome-icon wp-font-awesome-icon\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-prefix=\"fas\" data-icon=\"file-lines\" class=\"svg-inline--fa fa-file-lines \" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 384 512\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M0 64C0 28.7 28.7 0 64 0L213.5 0c17 0 33.3 6.7 45.3 18.7L365.3 125.3c12 12 18.7 28.3 18.7 45.3L384 448c0 35.3-28.7 64-64 64L64 512c-35.3 0-64-28.7-64-64L0 64zm208-5.5l0 93.5c0 13.3 10.7 24 24 24L325.5 176 208 58.5zM120 256c-13.3 0-24 10.7-24 24s10.7 24 24 24l144 0c13.3 0 24-10.7 24-24s-10.7-24-24-24l-144 0zm0 96c-13.3 0-24 10.7-24 24s10.7 24 24 24l144 0c13.3 0 24-10.7 24-24s-10.7-24-24-24l-144 0z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span>Floating Structures: What&#8217;s Legal and What isn&#8217;t in Vermont (PDF)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"wp-rich-text-font-awesome-icon wp-font-awesome-icon\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-prefix=\"fas\" data-icon=\"video\" class=\"svg-inline--fa fa-video \" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 576 512\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M96 64c-35.3 0-64 28.7-64 64l0 256c0 35.3 28.7 64 64 64l256 0c35.3 0 64-28.7 64-64l0-256c0-35.3-28.7-64-64-64L96 64zM464 336l73.5 58.8c4.2 3.4 9.4 5.2 14.8 5.2 13.1 0 23.7-10.6 23.7-23.7l0-240.6c0-13.1-10.6-23.7-23.7-23.7-5.4 0-10.6 1.8-14.8 5.2L464 176 464 336z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span> <strong>Watch &#8220;The Flood Safety Act and Foam Floatation In Vermont&#8221; Video<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Flood Safety Act and Foam Flotation\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zi7dX5qZe5I?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"wp-rich-text-font-awesome-icon wp-font-awesome-icon\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-prefix=\"fas\" data-icon=\"video\" class=\"svg-inline--fa fa-video \" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 576 512\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M96 64c-35.3 0-64 28.7-64 64l0 256c0 35.3 28.7 64 64 64l256 0c35.3 0 64-28.7 64-64l0-256c0-35.3-28.7-64-64-64L96 64zM464 336l73.5 58.8c4.2 3.4 9.4 5.2 14.8 5.2 13.1 0 23.7-10.6 23.7-23.7l0-240.6c0-13.1-10.6-23.7-23.7-23.7-5.4 0-10.6 1.8-14.8 5.2L464 176 464 336z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span> <strong>Watch the &#8220;Inspecting Your Encapsulated Foam Dock Floats&#8221; Video<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Inspecting Your Encapsulated Foam Dock Floats\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6pZlsZEyTCc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>For more information about the polystyrene foam regulation in Vermont, visit the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/dec.vermont.gov\/Unencapsulated-Polystyrene-Prohibition\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Vermont DEC website<\/a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In 2024, the State of Vermont passed the Flood Safety&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3660,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_eb_attr":"","_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":"","_tec_slr_enabled":"","_tec_slr_layout":""},"class_list":["post-3632","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"ticketed":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3632","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3632"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3632\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3683,"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3632\/revisions\/3683"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3660"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uvm.edu\/seagrant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3632"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}