“If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”
You probably heard a similar line growing up, or said it to your own children. Generally speaking, this is wise advice. However, when it comes to Styrofoam, it is a different story.
Styrofoam is the trademarked name for Dow Chemical’s foam insulation, and the more accurate term for the Styrofoam we are familiar with is expanded polystyrene (EPS). It is easy to find EPS when buying eggs, meat, disposable cups and plates, and coolers as well as in building insulation and shipping product protection, among other things. EPS is often marked with the running triangle recycling symbol, but no facility takes it. It is very porous, so it is almost impossible to sanitize, while its bulk makes it financially unsound to transport. All EPS must go into the trash. EPS does not biodegrade and takes a minimum of 500 years to break down. Because of EPS’ lightweight nature, even if it is thrown into the trash, it is not unusual for it to fly out at some point in the transportation process. Inevitably it will break into smaller and smaller pieces, which then may be consumed by wildlife causing digestive blockages and potentially starvation.
EPS may also have negative impacts on human health. The process of making Styrofoam requires numerous chemical reactions involving benzene, pentane gas, and styrene at various points in the process. All these chemicals can harm those who produce Styrofoam, and negatively impact communities that live near production facilities. The health cost of working with these chemicals is around $108 million per year.
EPS production also impacts the climate.
- As of 2016, the production process produced roughly 21 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year. Add to this the social costs of poor health, agricultural declines and decreased worker productivity, and the emissions cost us about $4.6 billion per year.
- Water is needed for the chemical reactions, but then must be treated before it can go back into the water supply. The social costs of cleaning the water in 2016 was about $294 million per year.
- Cleanup for EPS that escapes from the landfill stream and makes it to a roadside or a coastline has a cost of approximately $1.3 billion per year.
- Even if the EPS makes it to the landfill, Styrofoam will cost the landfill $665 million over the 20-year lifespan of the landfill.
Progress is being made in getting rid of Styrofoam. Nationwide, grocery stores are using it less to hold produce or meat. Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington, D.C. have banned Styrofoam, while many localities in other states have made the move before their state has. Many countries, including the entire E.U., Thailand, Zimbabwe, and others have also banned Styrofoam. But in Connecticut, it is very easy to walk into a store and still be able to find EPS products for sale. A bill to ban Styrofoam in Connecticut has been presented in the legislature several times but has yet to pass both chambers.
Not purchasing items with EPS/Styrofoam would go a long way to helping the environment. Contacting your state representatives about the importance of banning EPS would also be helpful. We can make an impact in this regard and do a little bit of good.
Progress begins in the choices we make every day, and in remembering that even small changes matter when we make them together.
A source for this article:
Real Cost of Styrofoam, St. Louis University. November 2016
