Styrofoam is utilized for everything from takeout containers to product packaging. Yet is styrofoam recyclable? As well as what’s its environmental effect? From the takeout containers at your favored dining establishment to the packaging peanuts in your new product’s product packaging, you’ll find that Styrofoam is anywhere. However, as usually as we utilize it, there’s still little details on whether styrofoam is recyclable or otherwise.
Styrofoam is versatile. It’s lightweight, making it a suitable padding for moving breakable items such as electronics and appliances. At the same time, it uses insulation, which is why you’ll usually see it utilized to house coffee or maybe even to line your wall surfaces: It functions as a sealant to shut out cool air, valuable during the winter season.
Nevertheless, Styrofoam is also understood for being dangerous to the environment and people. This begs the question: If Styrofoam is damaging, just how come we’re still utilizing it? Much more significantly, what can we do to decrease using Styrofoam? Here’s every little thing you need to recognize.
The Environmental Impact of Styrofoam
Styrofoam is in fact a trademarked brand name: The product itself is a form of polystyrene, which is a petroleum-based plastic that can either be strong plastic or foam. The lathered version is likewise called Expanded Polystyrene (EPS), which is what we know as Styrofoam. However Styrofoam has actually ended up being associated with EPS similarly plasters are referred to as Band-Aids.
EPS is made of polystyrene beads. If you were to very closely inspect an item of Styrofoam, you might see it is comprised of tiny beads that look joined together. These grains are lightweight, strong, as well as have thermal insulation and shock absorption residential properties. Therefore, EPS has a lot of usages, making it versatile as well as hassle-free to make use of.
And also, Styrofoam does not set you back much to produce, as well as when you incorporate that with its appeal, there is a nearly endless demand for single-use Styrofoam.
Nevertheless, as functional as it is, EPS includes an ecological impact– one that’s very closely pertaining to the amount of Styrofoam products getting sent to landfills. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in 2018 alone, Americans produced about 80,000 lots of Styrofoam containers– and less than 5,000 heaps were reused. And also, regarding 140,000 lots of polystyrene bags, sacks, as well as wraps were produced in 2018– and once again, only regarding 20,000 heaps were reused.
Styrofoam is non-biodegradable, which means it won’t break down normally. So, it’s not completely untraceable or harmless. When EPS products obtain sent to garbage dumps– or worse, when they’re cluttered– they launch chemical pollutants and greenhouse gases. Both of which add to global warming.
So the following question is: Is Styrofoam recyclable?
Is Styrofoam Recyclable?
Unfortunately, Styrofoam isn’t as recyclable as we want it to be. The majority of Styrofoam products do contain a tiny reusing symbol and also the # 6 tag. Nonetheless, that reusing sign is misinforming: Styrofoam tends to go straight to the landfill unless you can find a trusted drop-off area near you.
Recycling Styrofoam isn’t as cut and completely dry as reusing various other types of waste, like plastic. It faces a couple of challenges that hinder its recyclability. For something, Styrofoam is challenging to go back to its many basic form and also very couple of reusing facilities have the essential equipment required to recycle it during the reusing process. Consequently, you’ll need to call your neighborhood recycling facility to see if Styrofoam items are approved.
Plus, tossing EPS items into the reusing container can really pollute the whole recycling container. This might bring about the whole bin obtaining denied when it reaches a recycling facility. Why? Due to the fact that EPS includes unsafe toxins, and also if those toxins are broken down by recycling processes, they might wind up in products we use in our day-to-day lives.
Furthermore, EPS products can barely be reused. This is especially true for food and also drink containers, which are probably among the biggest usages for Styrofoam.
What You Can Do
The charm as well as comfort of Styrofoam are indisputable, however there are some activities you can take to curb your intake and also minimize waste.
Choose Styrofoam Alternatives
The same way we attempt to stay clear of single-use plastics, you can prevent single-use Styrofoam. As opposed to using single-use coffee, attempt the Sustainable On-the-Go Coffee Cup featured in the Brightly shop. It’s made from thrown out coffee husk and also can be reused forever.
Whenever you get a coffee on the go, you can bring your reusable mug with you and get rid of the need for Styrofoam– or various other tough to reuse, single-use mugs. And also rather than utilizing Styrofoam takeout containers for leftovers, use reusable containers that will not obtain trashed after one usage.
Do Not Just Throw It Away
If Styrofoam can not be prevented after that do the next best point: Dispose of it effectively. Don’t simply toss it in the trash because that’s one means to contribute to the trouble. Instead, you can send it to a recycling facility that approves Styrofoam.
Earth911 aids you situate the nearest recycling facility or drop-off center– just enter your zip code, and you’re good to go. You can also gather your Styrofoam initially before contributing it to prevent numerous journeys.
Purchase From Sustainable Brands
When buying, it’s not only important to look at the ecological impact of what you’re acquiring: It’s additionally vital to take a look at the product packaging. Look for brand names that make use of biodegradable, compostable, or upcycled product packaging.
When we go shopping extra sustainably, we’re actively voting with our dollars and also telling markets that consumers prioritize eco-friendly business methods.