Corporate dining has quietly become one of the front lines of packaging regulation.
If you run (or support) an on-site café, micro-market, conference center, or employee dining facility, your “to-go” decisions are not just about convenience anymore. They’re about compliance. Across the U.S., states are tightening rules around:
- PFAS in food packaging (often tied to grease-resistant performance in some fiber-based bowls, wraps, and trays, but regulated in different ways depending on the state)
- Expanded polystyrene foam (EPS, often casually called “Styrofoam,” though Styrofoam is technically a brand name) for cups, clamshells, and plates
- Packaging “producer responsibility” (EPR) laws that change what packaging is sold into a state and how it is financed (these obligations typically fall on packaging producers, but they create real downstream SKU, pricing, and availability changes for buyers)
At Super-Natural Eats, we build these requirements into how we operate. That means we’re not scrambling at the last second, and our corporate dining facility clients are not dealing with surprise packaging swaps, compliance risk, or confused employees.
2026 California Packaging Guidelines
PFAS restrictions in plant-fiber based food packaging have been in effect since January 1, 2023. California’s approach is not “vibes-based.” It’s tied to specific legal requirements, and the state has signaled clear enforcement expectations.
California’s SB 54 (Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act) continues moving through implementation and rulemaking, with CalRecycle maintaining timelines and materials categories.
What it Means for Corporate Dining in California
If you use fiber bowls, wrappers, sandwich papers, or molded-fiber clamshells, you need confidence they are PFAS compliant, not “close enough.”
SB 54 creates downstream effects even if you are not a packaging “producer,” because suppliers will change SKUs, minimums, and availability as they align to state requirements.
2026 Colorado Packaging Guidelines
Colorado bans intentionally added PFAS in several product categories including food packaging starting January 1, 2024.
Colorado’s producer responsibility (EPR) program for packaging and paper products includes major program milestones (primarily for producers), with market-facing shifts beginning as producers align with participation requirements and program rollout moving into 2026.
What it Means for Corporate Dining in Colorado
Packaging supply chains shift faster in EPR states. Products disappear, pricing changes, and “standard” SKUs get replaced by compliant alternatives as producers and distributors update assortments.
PFAS compliance matters most for fiber-based foodware marketed as compostable or grease-resistant.
We pre-approve alternatives for high-volume items (bowls, clamshells, hot cups) so your café does not switch brands midweek and confuse employees.
2026 Washington Packaging Guidelines
Washington restricts PFAS in food packaging under a phased, category-based approach, with product categories and effective dates that have expanded over multiple years.
Washington also implemented a statewide expanded polystyrene food service products ban, with the final phase taking effect June 1, 2024.
What it Means for Corporate Dining in Washington
PFAS restrictions can affect common items like wraps, plates, boats, pizza boxes, and more depending on category and timing, so you want your procurement list aligned to the state’s category guidance, not just general marketing claims.
We align packaging to Washington’s category timelines and keep a short list of “safe substitutes” that still perform for hot, greasy, or sauce-heavy menus.
2026 Oregon Packaging Guidelines
Oregon’s DEQ outlines statewide restrictions on polystyrene foam foodware and related requirements.
Oregon’s Recycling Modernization Act (EPR-style) has been in motion, with recycling program changes starting July 2025.
What it Means for Corporate Dining in Oregon
Oregon clients are likely already working through packaging availability changes tied to the July 2025 program start. Even if you’re not running recycling operations yourself, distributors and suppliers adjust assortments as the state’s system changes.
We time transitions around procurement cycles, so you do not end up with a storeroom full of noncompliant foam products you cannot use.
2026 Rhode Island Packaging Guidelines
Rhode Island has published guidance for its polystyrene foam ban (and related items like plastic stirrers).
Rhode Island’s PFAS-in-food-packaging ban timing has shifted through updates, so it is a state where relying on assumptions can get you burned. If you’re using fiber-based items that depend on grease resistance, you want current, item-specific verification.
What it Means for Corporate Dining in Rhode Island
Rhode Island is a state where it is easy to get tripped up by “compostable-looking” items that are not PFAS compliant.
We treat Rhode Island like a documentation-first state: if the product cannot be verified, we do not deploy it.
2026 Delaware Packaging Guidelines
Delaware has moved toward statewide restrictions on expanded polystyrene foam food containers, with state-level information and implementation details.
What it Means for Corporate Dining in Delaware
If you operate campuses or offices in Delaware, this is a “procurement now” issue, not a “later” issue. Foam needs to be phased out and replaced with items that can handle hot foods without failing.
2026 Virginia Packaging Guidelines
Virginia spells out a phased expanded polystyrene restriction, with different timing by vendor type and hardship pathways that can affect real-world transitions across sites.
What it Means for Corporate Dining in Virginia
This can affect corporate cafeterias, coffee bars, patient or staff dining (where applicable), and office pantries that serve food, not just restaurants.
If you have multiple sites in Virginia, you should standardize packaging now so employees are not seeing different rules at different buildings.
2026 New York Packaging Guidelines
New York clearly states: no intentionally added PFAS in food packaging as of December 31, 2022.
New York has also implemented statewide restrictions on polystyrene foam food service items.
What it Means for Corporate Dining in New York
New York is not a state where you can rely on “it’s compostable so it’s fine.” PFAS compliance is distinct from compostability marketing.
2026 New Jersey Packaging Guidelines
New Jersey has a statewide ban on polystyrene foam food service products, which has been in effect.
New Jersey also recently enacted a law targeting PFAS in products including food packaging. The compliance timing depends on the law’s schedule and definitions, so this is a state to monitor closely if you operate there.
What it Means for Corporate Dining in New Jersey
NJ is a state where you should assume vendor catalogs will keep changing as suppliers “clean up” compliant lines and discontinue questionable SKUs.
A Quick Rundown of Other States’ Packaging Guidelines in 2026
- Maine: food packaging rules have a clear future effective date, plus stewardship changes
- Vermont: foam is out, and PFAS is tightly regulated
- Maryland: established EPS restrictions that still trip teams up
- Connecticut: PFAS in food packaging is prohibited
- Minnesota: PFAS restrictions are expanding and enforcement awareness is rising
Why Clients Lean on Super-Natural Eats for Keeping Up With Packaging Regulations
We do not treat regulatory shifts as an annoying footnote. We treat them as part of responsible, modern dining operations.
That looks like:
- State-by-state packaging standards
- Supplier verification requirements for PFAS-restricted items
- Built-in alternates so your café never runs out of compliant essentials
- Staff training so the front line can explain changes with confidence
If you’re looking into adding a corporate dining facility to your business, and want a qualified team to handle everything for you from start to finish, get in touch!