How does styrofoam affect?
Styrofoam, which we use at home and work, is a toxic and dangerous material for the environment. It can poison our bodies and cause great harm to our future if we throw it into a regular garbage can. That is why environmentalists all over the world are trying to attract the attention of all earthlings on issues that styrofoam brings to our lives and the life of flora and fauna on our planet. So we should know how to dispose of styrofoam properly.
However, some methods help people minimize or reduce the harmful effects of styrofoam on the environment and organisms of humans and animals. They teach us how to get rid of this type of plastic correctly and without harm to the planet. In this article, we will tell you about the details of modern styrofoam recycling.
Why does styrofoam bad for the environment?
- First, polystyrene foam is not only the name of the material but also its trademark of it. Initially, it was only a hard plastic that manufacturers obtained through chemical polymerization, which makes a heavy material a light one.
- It has excellent protective and insulating properties and helps us in everyday life. However, after we just throw it into the regular trash container, it begins to decompose and exude toxins that pollute the environment.
- This is an artificial material and takes a lot of the surface of the landfill.
Styrofoam: repurposing or disposing of?
You can use several methods how to make styrofoam a harmless material for ecology. Among them is repurposing and throwing of this material and they are alternative methods of this eco-friendly way which leads us to correct and competent recycling of styrofoam. But you shouldn’t think that you won’t find support if you decide to delve deeper into this issue.
Although styrofoam is harmful to the environment, you can reduce the amount of debris from this material too. This is not a question of recycling, but a question of the artistic processing of styrofoam items. So, you can make handicrafts and useful tools for your house from styrofoam dishes.
How to dispose of styrofoam properly – Alternative Eco-Friendly Methods
When it comes to getting rid of styrofoam, there are several eco-friendly alternatives. Styrofoam is ubiquitous in packaging, but unfortunately, it can be difficult to dispose of without causing damage to the environment. Fortunately, there are several alternatives to simply throwing out styrofoam which is both eco-friendly and effective.
1. How is easy to recycle styrofoam environmentally friendly?
Recycling is the most obvious eco-friendly alternative to throwing away styrofoam. A large number of local recycling centers are now accepting styrofoam for recycling. Contact your local center to find out what items are accepted for recycling. Most centers accept packing peanuts, foam trays, foam cups, and foam packaging.
2. Several ways to reuse styrofoam
Reusing styrofoam is another eco-friendly option.
- Styrofoam can be reused for craft projects or to line shelves or drawers.
- It can also be used as insulation for homes.
Or use foam cups for:
- arts;
- egg cartons;
- crafts projects.
Additionally, some companies are coming up with new ways to reuse styrofoam, such as:
- turning it into small pellets to be used for 3D printing;
- DIY projects worthwhile.
Can I recycle Styrofoam in San Diego?
San Diego is just one of the nationwide American cities that have long adopted eco-friendly methods of recycling many types of household chemical polymers. There are local environmental services that monitor these processes and work with all citizens who are interested in how to get rid of styrofoam. You should contact local waste management specialists of these institutions for details. They will help you find centers that recycle styrofoam.
3. Incineration of expanded polystyrene
Incineration is another way to drop-off styrofoam. This process involves burning styrofoam at very high temperatures. The heat breaks down the styrofoam into small pieces, which are then safely released into the atmosphere. However, this method of garbage is not suitable for all styrofoam items. For example, some styrofoam packing peanuts should not be incinerated, as this can cause the release of harmful toxins into the air.
How do I get rid of Styrofoam near me?
To do this, you just need to know where the garbage cans are near your home. As a rule, such a place is in every residential area (moreover, there are several such places in one quarter often). The municipalities of modern cities care about the health of citizens and issues of ecology and recycling programs, so you probably won’t find it difficult to this question. Watch the article from Stanford about this issue.
Can you throw it into the Styrofoam recycling bin?
You can throw them in a special garbage can that collects environmentally harmful chemical materials or you can spend your time and go to the center to recycle objects that are made of harmful chemical polymers.
As a rule, there are small or big recycling centers in all modern cities. That is why such cities care about the environment and place special garbage cans in each residential area. At a certain time of day, a special service arrives and takeout this waste for further recycling. This is a well-developed and well-run system, and you don’t have to worry about your chemical waste being dumped in a landfill outside of town. With the help of such centers, styrofoam dishes, packages, and tools do not harm the environment.
Can you recycle Styrofoam in CT?
Connecticut is a large state, and many cities of CT have long been involved in the processes of styrofoam items recycling. Fast food containers, plastic cups, disposable plates, and bottles — all this you can take to recycling in special centers.
What can I do with a large piece of Styrofoam?
To recycle large items that are produced from this chemical polymer foam, you should use one of two methods.
- The first one — if your styrofoam object has a multi-component structure, then you can disassemble it into separate parts and throw it away into a special garbage container.
- The second one — if it is an indivisible styrofoam object, you will have to transit it to a special center for recycling household chemical polymers. It would help if you were not lazy to do so as by doing so you will make our planet cleaner and rid yourself of health problems.
These are the reasons why you should repurpose and seriously think about the correct disposal of this material and household accessories that are produced from it. Or they can use it for shipping packing. Remember that you are not alone in this issue.
Support for Disposal
If you can’t find answers to your questions about how styrofoam can be recycled, you can always contact your municipality for help. In the United States, this is a very common and popular topic, and you will be helped in almost any city if you have questions about chemical polymer recycling services.
Moreover, your city surely has a special center for the disposal of cookware and tools made of various chemical polymers, and styrofoam is among them. However, its processing is not so easy.
So, you will not be enough just to throw the polystyrene packing or clean styrofoam into a special department of lightweight garbage and plastic. In addition, many government agencies oppose the production of this chemical material. Please, read more about how to dispose of garbage.