As a state senator tries to pass legislation to ban Styrofoam in the food-service industry, many of the state's colleges and universities are already making the move away from the product.

A bill by state Sen. Liz Krueger, D-Manhattan, would effectively ban Styrofoam use in food service within a year of becoming law. The bill applies to restaurants, food-service providers, vendors, supermarkets and all state offices.

"The purpose of this bill is to help New York clean up our waste stream and become a more environmentally sustainable state," Krueger said. "We have a real problem with needlessly creating too much waste."

Krueger said one of the simplest replacements for Styrofoam, especially for cups, is paper. However, Krueger said, there may be other products that are even more environmentally friendly or biodegradable than paper.

Krueger said she has sent letters to major colleges and universities across the state asking them to find more ecologically friendly alternatives to Styrofoam, and has had a positive response.

Colleges are already taking steps on their own.

Ray Cross, president of the state University College of New York at Morrisville, said the college is moving away from Styrofoam and researching an effective alternative.

Cross said Morrisville is considering an easy switch to paper cups over Styrofoam, but "clam-shell" food containers will be harder to replace.

To replace the Styrofoam clam-shells, Morrisville is looking at biodegradable food containers made from the byproducts of corn or sugar cane as a future replacement, he said.

Syracuse University tried out containers made of sugar cane, but they tended to melt when holding hot food, said Tina Julian, a member of the school's sustainability committee. Instead, Syracuse is trying other methods to cut waste.

The university uses plastic Rubbermaid containers for takeout food that the students return for washing, Julian said. Students are also issued reusable water bottles for beverages.

"Right now there is one of our dining halls that uses no Styrofoam at all; they are using reusable takeout containers," Julian said. "It's going really well, the kids really like it," she said, adding that the program will soon be expanded to all campus dining halls.

Neil Murphy, president of the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse, said his school has made strides against Styrofoam.

"We are largely free of polystyrene products on our campus; we utilize only paper products and china," Murphy said.

"For all student-sponsored events, it is required that all students bring their own mug," Murphy said. The school issues every student a sturdy, plastic mug that they use at meals and any campus event during their time at the school, Murphy said.

The school demands that no disposable plastic or Styrofoam be used even if they hire a catering service, Murphy said.

The only disposable that the school allows on campus is paper, Murphy said.