Stop Throwing Styrofoam in the Trash (and Do It Instead)
Styrofoam remains the ubiquitous material for takeaway containers, disposable coffee cups, and protective padding for fragile items during transit. The material, called Expanded Polystyrene, or EPS, keeps your food and drinks hot and packages safe, but unfortunately, it’s very bad for the environment. It takes up a significant amount of space in landfills and is thought to take centuries to decompose (meaning it is virtually non-biodegradable).
EPS is also not easy to recycle – although we know that even recycling may not be as environmentally friendly as we are led to believe – which means that we often end up throwing it in the trash. However, there are several ways to reduce the amount of Styrofoam waste landfill. Here’s what to do with it instead.
How to recycle styrofoam
EPS can be recycled, but usually not with other plastics and cardboard. Imagine tiny bits of broken peanut packaging stuck to literally everything, and you can see why. However, Earth911 maintains a database of recyclers of all kinds of materials – just enter “EPS” and your zip code to find those that accept specialty plastics, or just do a quick Google search. Be sure to call ahead to confirm they accept.
How to sell Styrofoam
Selling styrofoam to recycled plastic companies is a bit like collecting coins for bottles and cans – you won’t get much for it, but at least they’ll be reused or recycled. Plasticsmarkets.org can help you find companies that buy plastic scrap. Of course, there aren’t many options, and some don’t accept submissions from consumers, but you can call and ask what they recommend.
Where to donate styrofoam
Packing peanuts isn’t as common in commercial shipping, but if you have a box, your local UPS, FedEx, or family mail store may accept a donation, especially during busy shipping seasons. Alternatively, schools and community centers can reuse clean Styrofoam for art or garden projects.
How to reuse styrofoam
Styrofoam in all forms can have multiple lives, whether in its intended use or in a more creative (yet practical) form. Because it insulates so well, you can use it to keep things hot or cold—a pack of peanuts, for example, can replace ice in a pinch. Mix up a stack of food containers to make DIY peanut packaging or patio pillow filler. Cut holes in a sheet of shipping styrofoam to make a floating cup holder. You can also grow houseplants in clean styrofoam cups or use it as a base layer in pots before adding soil on top.