Styrofoam

Styrofoam Scott A. Lukas In Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste: The Social Science of Garbage, Carl A. Zimring and William L. Rathje, eds., Los Angeles: Sage, 2012, Pp. 876877. Styrofoam brand foam (or extruded polystyrene foam) is a registered trademark of The Dow Chemical Company. It was invented by chemist Ray McIntyre. Styrofoam is a generally blue, closed-cell, moisture-resistant foam insulation material that was first patented in the United States in 1944 and is typically used in housing insulation, roofing, and under-highway applications. Due to its insulating properties and buoyancy, it was used by the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy beginning in World War II. In the early 21st Century, Styrofoam applications were expanded to include spray foam insulation and termite-resistant foundation insulation. Styrofoam is also used in craft and floral design applications. All forms of Styrofoam can be reused and recycled. According to Dow Chemical Company, applications of Styrofoam reduce annual U.S. energy costs by $10 billion and, over a 20-year period, could save 10 trillion pounds of carbon dioxide emissions. Uses and Characteristics There is a common misconception that Styrofoam is the generic foam used for cups, disposable coolers, and packing peanuts. However, these items are not made of Styrofoam but are actually expanded polystyrene. Polystyrene, in its nonexpanded form, refers to the substance produced from the monomer styrene. Polystyrene is one of the most widely used plastics. It is commonly used to produce CD cases, disposable utensils, disposable razors, and the housing for smoke detectors, among other products. Like expanded polystyrene, polystyrene is a petroleum-based product, and this fact has raised concerns among environmentalists who are concerned about the future shortage of oil. A second concern is the impact of polystyrene products on the environment. Products made from this substance do not easily biodegrade (perhaps taking 500 years to do so). While they are recyclable, the practices of consumers are often to simply discard these items. 876 Expanded Polystyrene The generic foam known as expanded polystyrene is incredibly light in weight (about 95 percent air) and thus has wide application as a method of keeping beverages hot or cold and protecting valuable items, such as electronics, during shipping. While this foam version of polystyrene offers convenience and utility for consumers, the products produced 876 and later discarded pose a number of concerns. As is the case with non-foam polystyrene, the foam version relies on the use of petroleum in the production process. Additionally, workers producing the substance may be exposed to styrene and other chemical by-products. The products produced from this substance have limited recyclability. Part of this is due to its low weight and high volume, and even when recycling does occur, it is not closed-loop recycling. This means that the expanded polystyrene recycled will become a lower-level product than the original product. In 2008, 19 percent of expanded polystyrene was recycled. Some forms of expanded polystyrene, including packing peanuts, may be recycled at local centers in some cities, or may be mailed in for recycling. Another issue associated with expanded polystyrene is the disposal of the product after its use. Expanded polystyrene, because of its ubiquitous use, poses hazards to the environment both on land and sea. Americans waste nearly 2.5 billion disposable polystyrene cups per year. Some expanded polystyrene products end up in landfills and alongside the streets of cities and towns across the United States. Other products end up in waterways and pose threats to marine animals that sometimes mistake small pieces of polystyrene for food. Bans and Limits In the United States, over 100 cities (including all those of Orange County, California) have passed ordinances that either ban or limit the sale of polystyrene food ware, expanded polystyrene food ware, or polystyrene products at city-sponsored events. One city, Berkeley, California, passed a ban on this form of packaging in part because of the impact of fast and take-out food. According to a city resolution in 1990, fast and take-out food packaging represents the single greatest source of litter in the city. Taiwan has also passed such a ban. Reasons for the ban include the problem of biodegradability, prevalence of litter, impracticality of recycling, the physical harm caused to wildlife, and the impact of polystyrene production on the ozone layer. Reaction to these ordinances have been mixed. In Taiwan, there is concern that the ban will threaten jobs in the plastic industry, while in cities like Portland, Oregon, concern has been raised that the products being manufactured in the place of polystyrene are twice as expensive and end up in landfills anyway. In the late 1980s, McDonald’s Corporation discontinued the production of the McDLT in part due to controversy related to packaging. The hamburger was marketed through its packaging and offered the customer two separate sides of a package—one side kept the burger hot, the other kept the lettuce and tomato cold. Examples like the McDLT illustrate that many of the issues associated with polystyrene are connected to corporate decisions and consumer choices. Alternatives and Solutions Alternatives to polystyrene-based food containers include recyclable paper, bamboo, and biodegradable corn plastics. Some restaurants have turned to utensils made from plant-bases starch and polylactic acid (corn)-based cups and straws. Many restaurants are turning to such alternatives, despite increased packaging costs of up to 20 percent. Another solution is to encourage consumers to avoid the use of polystyrene and expanded polystyrene products. For example, when ordering take-out food at restaurants, consumers can bring their own reusable food storage containers to transport their food home. 877 Scott A. Lukas Lake Tahoe Community College See Also: Fast Food Packaging; Packaging and Product Containers; Recycling; Shopping Bags Further Readings Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers. “2008 EPS Recycling Rate Report.” http://epspackaging.org/images/stories/2008_EPS_Recycling_Rate_Report.pdf Dow Chemical Company. Press materials. http://building.dow.com/about/story.htm Gutis, P. “McDonald’s Is Urged to Alter Packaging.” New York Times, 11 November 1987. Scheirs, J. and D. Priddy. Modern Styrenic Polymers: Polystyrenes and Styrenic Copolymers. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2003. 877