SeaWorld Says Goodbye to Polystyrene Foam Dinnerware Products

Part of our commitment at SeaWorld is to protect animals and their habitats worldwide, and continuously look for ways to reduce our environmental impact. It’s not an easy task, but it is one we are proud of, especially since we are on the frontlines of marine animal rescue and rehabilitation and see firsthand the threats they encounter 24/7, 365 days of the year. It is estimated that approximately 5,000,000,000,00 (yes, trillion) pieces of plastic litter our oceans today, including polystyrene foam products. These plastics can be mistaken by marine animals for food, leading to sickness or even death.

That’s why today we’re excited to announce that we have replaced polystyrene foam dinnerware products—including bowls, plates and trays— with products made from 100% recycled material at all 12 of our theme parks.

Polystyrene foam dinnerware is resistant to decomposition, non-biodegradable and difficult to recycle. By switching to products made from 100% recycled material across our parks, we are able to save an estimated 14 million pieces of polystyrene foam dinnerware from entering ecosystems, including the oceans, each year.

The move from polystyrene foam products isn’t the only switch we have made. Last year we eliminated  plastic straws, coffee stirrers and plastic shopping bags from our parks. Since beginning this process, SeaWorld has avoided contributing an estimated 22 million plastic straws to landfills.

Reducing our environmental footprint is an important part of our mission, as we strive toward becoming greater stewards of our oceans, marine animals and our planet.