Peanuts anyone?
Now that the holiday season is upon us, it’s only a matter of time before we start collecting copious amounts of Styrofoam. Usually used as packaging material, Styrofoam is actually a product brand – polystyrene being the material itself. Ever wonder what happens to all that Styrofoam packing?
Most people are content with just discarding their left over packing in the trash. The fact is that polystyrene takes a long time to break down. Some reports say 50 years, while others say a million! Whatever the case may be, the truth is that it never truly breaks down and returns to nature. Polystyrene has a myriad of uses from meat and electronic packing, to the ingredients in napalm and hydrogen bombs!
Besides that, during its production a chemical called benzene is added which is a known human carcinogen. Also, when it is burned polystyrene releases a styrene gas that can affect the nervous system.
But fear not, Trash Wizard Junk Removal will give you some alternate ways on getting rid of the little Styrofoam peanuts you’ve acquired this holiday season.
- Hold on to your Styrofoam and reuse it for packing. How many times have you needed to mail a package and needed some extra padding?
- See if local craft centers will take it off your hands. Many craft shops use Styrofoam in their projects.
- Try to donate it to local schools. With budget cuts in the areas of Art and Music, Art teachers would most likely appreciate free materials for their students.
- Visit Earth911.org and enter the term “polystyrene”. Then enter your zip code to get a list of companies and organizations that will be able to take it off your hands.
- Check out the Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers. They offer a mail back program that is pretty economical considering Styrofoam weighs next to nothing.
- Got alot of Styrofoam (and we mean alot) and looking to make some money? Check out American Chemistry and act as a buyer or seller of all types of polystyrene products.
We hope the above information was helpful and remember:
‘Reuse, Reduce and Recycle‘!
Trash Wizard “We Make Your Junk Disappear”!