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157Styrofoam and styrofoam products fill up 30 of the landfill space because it is not biodegradable Styrofoam is the name for polystyrene foam It is very light weight consisting of about 95 air Styrofoam is used in products such as cups to keep beverages hot Because styrofoam does not decompose it is harmful to the environment and soil Styrofoam is a kind of expanded polystyrene It is made from polystyrene beads that heat up and expand Styrofoam was first introduced to the United States in 1954 Bellis It is used for many things such as installation packing materials egg cartons and even school projects The most common use for styrofoam is for drinking cups plates and take out containers because it keeps food and drinks insulated The packing styrofoam usually comes in loose forms called peanuts Miller Mohazzebi Pasewark Fagan They are used as packing styrofoam because during shipping it will help keep the product from moving around and possibly breaking Facts About Landfill Styrofoam Styrofoam can be used for roofs and slabs in panel form It s helps keep the natural elements from entering the interior Styrofoam isn t just a good insulator for temperature it is also a good sound barrier that can be used for home theaters and recording studios Many companies have changed from styrofoam to using more environmental means It is still largely used for coffee cups and take out containers because it is cheap and convenient
The starch is replaced by the petroleum that is used to make plastic containers Also using reusable containers is always an option About 100 cities across the United States have eliminated styrofoam usage for take out containers Banning styrofoam has mostly been due to citizen complaints Even McDonald's saw the downfalls of styrofoam and switched to paper containers years ago Why You Should Never Use Styrofoam Again There are some advantages and disadvantages of using styrofoam Some advantages would be that it is a sanitary product for one time food and beverage use Styrofoam has a low cost of purchase The manufacturing process is not necessarily more harmful than the process for paper Friend There are also some disadvantages It is non biodegradable in the environment It is made from non renewable petroleum products Friend Styrofoam can take up to 30 of the garbage volume in landfills Because of the landfill strategy of compacting the garage and then packing dirt on top nothing breaks down as it should and it winds up giving paper the same decomposition time as styrofoam Styrofoam captures water from seeping into the soil and therefore allows water to soak garbage until it's almost a soup like mixture When heavy rain comes this soup escapes the styrofoam barrier onto the landfill lining or more likely off into our soil and groundwater Although styrofoam breaks down into small pieces easily it will take about 500 years for one cup to dissolve There are over 25 million styrofoam cups thrown away each year Our environment needs to take action against the usage of styrofoam Knowing the harmful effects of styrofoam it is important to eliminate its usage The goal is to eliminate the use of styrofoam and spread awareness about how it destroys the environment and consumer health
