Styrofoam is a product with various applications and is one of the most common plastics used in packaging and insulation. It is affordable and versatile, and no other material is as lightweight and well-suited for shock absorption.
Styrofoam may be best known and most used for its effective insulation. Consumers use the material every day in the form of cups, coolers, plates, bowls and to-go boxes. Shippers commonly use Styrofoam packing peanuts, to keep items from being damaged during transit, and Styrofoam blocks to insulate sensitive electronics items.
Cheap Packing Peanuts Can Protect Your Goods and ProductsEvery day, tons of Styrofoam waste is thrown away and tossed into landfills and, although it is a popular product, it can be harmful and may pose a threat to the environment. Luckily, there are ways you can properly dispose of this compound while being economically and environmentally conscious.
What Is Styrofoam?
What most people refer to as Styrofoam is called expanded polystyrene foam or EPS. Examples include egg cartons, takeout food containers and cheap packing peanuts.
Styrofoam is a trademarked product from the Dow Chemical Company. This unique extruded form of polystyrene, XPS, is used in building materials.
The process of making Styrofoam uses the limited resource of petroleum, which creates emissions affecting the current climate crisis.
Americans dispose of millions of Styrofoam products every year, and a lot of it never reaches a landfill. Instead, it ends up polluting oceans and other bodies of water. Styrofoam, as a hazardous additive for marine organisms, can put marine life at risk.
Order Your Styrofoam Packaging Today!
Disposing of Styrofoam
On a global scale, over 14 million tons of Styrofoam are produced annually. A significant portion of this is disposed of as waste.
For shippers and consumers, the most apparent solution to disposing of Styrofoam is to throw it away. However, this is not an environmentally friendly approach because Styrofoam packaging is not biodegradable. Instead, recycling or reusing are much better options.
The National Toxicology Program has flagged the chemical styrene as a possible carcinogen. The decomposition process could release toxins that can damage the earth’s ecosystems and which make it unsafe to dispose of by burning.
Recycle It
Consumer Styrofoam products can be recycled. The EPS industry has developed a nationwide collection infrastructure to support recycling efforts. EPS is 98 percent air, which means it is easy to recycle and repurpose. Since it is made of a single polymer, it can be recycled repeatedly without deteriorating.
When polystyrene is recycled, it is turned into small pellets. These pellets can make everything from roof tiles to traffic cones to park benches and coat hangers. This unique plastic polymer byproduct is exceptionally durable, meaning it can last for many years after recycling, giving new life to recycled Styrofoam shipping products.
There are over 200 collection sites where you can drop off Styrofoam products for recycling. The EPS-IA’s Recycler directory can help you find the nearest drop-off location. Local waste management companies may also provide suggestions.
If there is no EPS recycling drop-off location in your community, there is a mail-back option.
One thing to keep in mind is that only clean Styrofoam can be recycled. Remove any tape, labels or glued-on cardboard before dropping it off or mailing it back.
Reuse It
Have you ever wondered what to do with packing peanuts? The most straightforward answer is to reuse them in another package you may need to ship. Businesses that frequently ship products gladly reuse clean packing peanuts. Reusing Styrofoam, in this way, reduces the need for producing more of it.
Another way to donate Styrofoam is to contact a local elementary, preschool or art school. Styrofoam is great for craft projects. Kids and their teachers can find many creative ways to reuse the material.
Styrofoam can be reused around the house and in the garden. Try reusing packaging peanuts in planters to fill up space and improve drainage, or grow root vegetables in tight areas in your yard.
Biodegradable Options
At Air Sea Containers, we offer a biodegradable packing peanut alternative, so you know your business helps improve our environment. Our Bio-Degradable Sealed Air Peanuts perform better than Styrofoam or EPS peanuts and are made of 100 percent recyclable materials.
In Sum
Styrofoam products are lightweight, hold temperatures well, keep items safe while packaged for shipping and are very affordable. With so many advantages, it is easy to overlook the downsides of Styrofoam.
However, there are options for people who want to keep Styrofoam out of the landfills, lakes and oceans. Alternatives, such as biodegradable packing peanuts and recycling programs, can help keep Styrofoam an efficient, yet safe, product for shipping and home use.
For more information on environmentally friendly shipping products, call Air Sea Containers at (866) 596-9448.
Image Credits
Source: Kzenon/Shutterstock.com
Source: MichaelJayBerlin/Shutterstock.com
Source: Bookzv/Shutterstock.com
