Earth Talk: Styrofoam

Dear EarthTalk: Styrofoam is terrible for the environment and hard to recycle but still prevalent across the U.S. What’s being done to phase it out?

-- Michael Brophy, Boston

Answer: Plastic foam, better known under its brand name of Styrofoam, has been used for insulation, packaging and foodware (cups, takeout containers, etc.) for decades. Also known as expanded polystyrene, the foam is made from a carcinogenic chemical called styrene. The material remains prevalent today, especially in the food industry, as countless foodware products are still distributed globally.

The light weight and superior insulating ability of plastic foam makes it a convenient resource for the transportation of goods, but it is also a serious threat to many natural habitats. It can break apart and get picked up by the wind very easily, causing it to disperse rapidly across all kinds of landscapes. In 2022, the International Coastal Cleanup program picked up over 8.7 million plastic foam food containers globally, making it the seventh most common item collected that year.

Seals, seabirds and fish tend to mistake the foam for food and eat it, often poisoning them due to the toxic chemicals in the foam. Styrofoam also cannot be properly recycled, though many people recycle it by mistake. As a result, it contaminates recycling efforts, making it more expensive to salvage than to simply manufacture new. The toxic chemicals that are coated on many foams may even harm people, and especially children.

Many governments around the world have taken measures to mitigate the risks. At present, 15 countries, 12 U.S. states and dozens of U.S. cities have banned the sale or distribution of plastic foam in food service establishments. Many citizens have also led successful anti-Styrofoam campaigns by contacting elected officials and educating the public...