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Why do we still produce Styrofoam?
#2- It is most often contaminated with food, drink, or grease or sauces and it is difficult to clean because it is also very porous. We still allow Styrofoam to be made and used because it has excellent thermal and construction properties at a very reasonable price.
Why do we use so much Styrofoam?
Its low cost and ease of production catapulted Styrofoam into our lives. From energy efficient building insulation to surfboards, and from soilless hydroponic gardening to airplane construction, Styrofoam was heralded as the wave of the future—until the environmental issues came up.
Why Styrofoam is bad for the environment?
Polystyrene is slow to degrade, and if disposed of improperly, the foam can leach chemicals into the environment harming water sources. Polystyrene manufacturing is an enormous creator of hazardous waste. Furthermore, polystyrene manufacturing greatly contributes to global warming.
Why is it important to recycle Styrofoam?
Since animals and ecosystems are affected by plastic waste, recycling Styrofoam is important for the environment. Although foam plastics accounts for only a fraction of plastic waste, it is largely neglected when recycling.
Is Styrofoam or plastic worse for the environment?
Environmental Impact Styrofoam is not biodegradable and cannot be recycled, which means that Styrofoam cups contribute to landfill trash. While plastic cups are not biodegradable either, many of them are recyclable, which does make them the more environmentally friendly option.
Is Styrofoam biodegradable or non biodegradable?
Well, you need to know that the materials used to make Styrofoam are petrochemicals. And they do not usually decompose. As such, we may conclude that Styrofoam is NOT biodegradable. Even though Styrofoam can undergo natural breaking down, this usually takes between five hundred to a thousand years.
How does Styrofoam impact the environment?
Styrofoam contains Styrene with leaches into foods and drinks served in Styrofoam containers causing contamination. When the same container is exposed to sunlight, it creates harmful air pollutants that contaminate landfills and deplete the ozone layer.
Why is Styrofoam a problem?
When used with food products, especially when heated, Styrofoam releases toxic chemicals into the food causing a contamination which can be hazardous to your health In addition, when exposed to sunlight,Styrofoam creates harmful air pollutants which contaminate landfills and deplete the ozone layer.
How much Styrofoam is wasted?
Americans alone throw away around 25 billion Styrofoam cups every year. Around the world, people litter more than 4.5 trillion cigarette butts every year.