Whilst it might seem like a useful multi-purpose product, today I want to talk about the problem with polystyrene for our planet. For such an innocuous looking, lightweight product polystyrene sure does pack an environmental punch! Thankfully there are some good alternatives these days!
The issue in numbers
Polystyrene – also known as styrofoam – is a petroleum based plastic used in all kinds of products, from cups and trays to insulation, packaging, DVD cases and more. Most of the items made from polystyrene are designed to be single use. Over 18,000 tonnes of single use polystyrene is created in Australia every year! Enough styrofoam cups are used in Australia each year to circle the planet 5 times over, which is fairly frightening to think about.
So, what’s the problem with polystyrene?
There are quite a few problems with polystyrene, starting with the fact it is made out of petroleum, with is a non-renewable, heavily polluting substance. It is also an energy intensive product to make, and results in air and water pollution, as well as creating hazardous waste. That is enough to avoid using it, but that’s also on the start of the problems!
The other key problem with polystyrene is that it is incredibly hard to dispose of. It is bulky and non-biodegradable, which means it takes up a vast amount of space in our landfill. It’s also very light and breaks down into little pieces, which means it can be easily distributed across the environment. It is regularly one of the most collected waste items at clean up events, and is damaging animals when they ingest it.
What are the alternatives?
Thankfully most polystyrene products have a much more environmentally friendly alternative. This can be as simple as getting your meat from a butcher rather than on a styrofoam tray at the supermarket, or reusable mugs rather than polystyrene cups. Refusing over-packaged products is an excellent start, and then choosing non-polystyrene packaging is a great next step. For my house as well as my husband’s construction site we use Skip Bins Dee Why, as it is easy to store a large amount of waste in them and they usually take the trash away every 3-5 days, so there is absolutely no need to worry about waste piling up.
For packaging, try recycled paper or bamboo which can be recycled or composted after use. Biodegradable packing peanuts are another excellent option. They will still protect the items you are shipping but without the environmental impact! Nowadays you can even find packaging made out of mushrooms!
What can you do to help?
The best step is avoiding as much polystyrene products as you possibly can! However, if you do end up with some disposing of it properly is important. Many polystyrene products are not able to be recycled, but any that you can recycle you definitely should. This generally can’t be done as part of your Council recycle bin, but there should be collection points around your suburb. For Melbourne folk, this website has a list of drop-off locations.
I hope this helped explain the problem with polystyrene! I’d love to hear your thoughts as well.
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I Spy Plum Pie is Liz, an early 30s kiwi-born, Melbourne raised girl who is passionate about the environment and sustainability, food, exploring and learning new things. Join me on my journey to a happy, sustainable life!
Denyse Whelan
April 22, 2017 at 10:02 am (7 years ago)I agree we need to find other solutions. I am no longer getting takeaway coffee now I am retired. When I was working at Uni, I bought a ‘keep cup’ for my coffee and got that filled for my fuel!
Ingrid @ Fabulous and Fun Life
April 22, 2017 at 11:03 am (7 years ago)I wonder if this is something the government should legislate and ban? It would be the quickest way to get rid of or at least minimise the amount of polystyrene.
Ingrid
http://www.fabulousandfunlife.blogspot.com.au
Marisa
April 23, 2017 at 1:15 am (7 years ago)Thank you for sharing this! I think the easiest way to get rid of styrofoam is for consumers to know how it affects the planet. Then, those consumers can let companies know they don’t want products packaged in styrofoam.
I work on a university campus chock full of coffee shops. And while it would be impossible to get all the students to bring their own refillable mugs, we recently went to paper cups to lessen the environmental impact.
Marisa recently posted…If It Ain’t Yours, Don’t Carry It
Paula, The Geeky Shopaholic
April 27, 2017 at 6:15 am (7 years ago)I always learn so much when I read your blog! I never realized how much Styrofoam we actually use every day. It’s eye opening!
Paula, The Geeky Shopaholic recently posted…The Ultimate Rabbit Hole #114