The River Forest Village Board voted to prohibit food establishments in the village from selling or distributing disposable food service containers composed of polystyrene foam.With Trustees Lisa Gillis, Ken Johnson and Bob O’Connell not in attendance, the ordinance approving the ban was adopted by a 4-0 vote at Monday’s Village Board meeting.The new restriction will have staggered effective dates. The prohibition on polystyrene, commonly known by the brand name Styrofoam, will take effect Jan. 1, 2024. Smaller restaurants with an annual gross income of under $500,000 must comply with the ban by Jan. 1, 2025. The ordinance also mandates the village to perform education and outreach efforts regarding the prohibition during the first four months of 2024 with no citations to be issued during that time.Violations of any provision of the Food and Food Establishment code is subject of fines up to $500. “The village’s ultimate goal is compliance and the intent is to provide warnings and education to those that are violating the new rules,” said village Administrator Matt Walsh.In response to a question from Trustee Katie Brennan, Seth Jansen, management analyst, explained that the ban covers drinkware in addition to food ware.