styrofoam waste statistics

One common estimate is that styrofoam can take up 30 percent of the space in some landfills. Landfills are quickly filling up and Styrofoam is an active contributor occupying more space than other waste. Chronic exposure affects the nervous system, causing symptoms like depression, headache, fatigue and weakness, and minor effects on kidney function and blood. Statistics The Earth Resource Foundation reports that Styrofoam manufacturers were the fifth largest producer of toxic waste in 1986. Health effects from exposure to styrene include irritation of the skin, eyes and respiratory tract and gastrointestinal problems. Health effects from exposure to styrene are irritation of the skin, eyes and respiratory tract and gastrointestinal problems. We use over 80,000,000,000 aluminum soda cans every year. Styrofoam is a major environmental problem. Well, Americans throw away millions of polystyrene cups annually â¦ and thatâs not including all of the other EPS waste we use throughout the day. The Bantar Gebang dump in Bekasi, Indonesia . A plastic or styrofoam cup used for a few minutes takes approximately 400 years to decompose. Recycling Styrofoam Confirm you have plain white Styrofoam. Make sure foam has the #6 chasing arrow symbol and place foam in clear sealed bags. Statistics of Styrofoam waste The Earth Resources Foundation reports. Advantages of Using Foamed â¦ Once in the landfill, it does not decompose quickly. Some estimates put the lifespan of styrofoam in a landfill around 500 years, and some put it way beyond that. Landfills are quickly filling up and Styrofoam is an active contributor occupying more space than other waste. That's a lot of containers - make sure they're recycled! Packaging represents about 65% of household trash. By volume, Styrofoam products fill up 25 to 30 percent of landfill space around the world. According to The California Department of Conservation, the costs of recycling styrofoam amounts to $3000 per single ton. It is a light-weight material, about 95% air with very good insulation properties. The polystyrene manufacturing process is the 5th largest creator of hazardous waste. In addition, with billions of Styrofoam cups used yearly in convenience stores, restaurants and lunchrooms ending up in landfills, some cities have banned the use of Styrofoam. Easily recycled, paper is good for shipping and product packaging. A typical family consumes 182 gallons of soda, 29 gallons of juice, 104 gallons of milk, and 26 gallons of bottled water a year. Please enable JavaScript in your browser for a better user experience. EPA measures the generation, recycling, composting, combustion with energy recovery and landfilling of plastic materials in municipal solid waste. One tree yields about 700 paper grocery bags, which will be consumed in less than 1 hour by a supermarket. Thatâs a lot of avoidable waste. No straws, lids, plastic wrap or trash. Call to schedule large deliveries. The results of our analyses suggest that the real cost of Styrofoam outweighs the â¦ Every day, approximately 1,369 tons of Styrofoam is buried into U.S. landfills. It is really useful to recycle foam waste with the help of popular foam recycling densifier, estimated to have more than 40-90 times reduction ratio, as for the densified eps ingots ,can be sold back to end-users to make money. In 1986, Styrofoam manufacturers were the 5th largest producer of toxic waste. The packaging and food industries have begun introducing environmental friendly packaging alternatives to the market, such as air cushions and biodegradable food packaging. Little graduated from Texas Chiropractic College with a Doctor of Chiropractic degree. High density polyethylene (HDPE) natural bottles were recycled at a rate of 30.3 percent in 2015 and 31.2 percent in 2017. Styrofoam makes up a large fraction of the constituent waste. Over 90,000 workers face exposure to the effects of styrene, the material in Styrofoam, each year in industries such as rubber and fiberglass manufacturing companies. Some businesses collect Styrofoam for reuse and recycling. He emphasizes alternative approaches to health-related issues. Styrofoam does not degrade or break down over time. The U.S. is the biggest trash producer in the world, filling America's landfills at an alarming rate. Polystyrene is a petroleum-based plastic made from styrene monomers. The fact that Styrofoam is non-biodegradable adds to the ecological impact. Paper recycling also saves trees and contributes to an overall savings when compared to Styrofoam. Recycled paper products are the best alternative, according to Earth Resource Foundation. Compostable food service packaging is very trendy right now as an âecologically correctâ option. Thatâs â¦ Over half of the worldâs plastic thrown out in 2015 was plastic packaging. With enough Styrofoam cups produced each day to circle the earth if lined up end to end, the potential for major ecological impact is great. By volume, Styrofoam products fill up 25 to 30 percent of landfill space around the â¦ In general, the â¦ Styrene leaches into foods and drinks served in Styrofoam containers, and according to the Earth Resource Foundation, the manufacture of Styrofoam releases large amounts of ozone into the atmosphere, causing respiratory and environmental issues. Some companies are also getting with the program. This strategy may work in the short term for not-for-profit organizations like municipal recycling facilities, but getting businesses on board has always been a hard sell. ... Food waste is a growing, worldwide problem. The U.S. annually uses over 75 million tons of paper and paperboard - about 600 pounds per person - and we currently recycle about 20 â¦ NotesDrop-off: food service foam and packaging products. If used properly, it is an economical, sanitary product, with low environmental risks. However if it is burned in a normal fire instead of in a specialized incinerator, it releases pollutants such as carbon black and carbon monoxide. Styrofoam is a lot like a plastic bag: it can sit in landfills for centuries, and itâs toxic when burned. The ubiquitous single-use plastic takes up 30% of landfill space- about 2.5 million tons or so of Styrofoam goes to the landfill every single year. This represents an estimated hidden cost equivalent to 1.2 cents per Styrofoam cup produced. The process of making polystyrene pollutes the air and creates large amounts of liquid and solid waste. According to a 2004 study by the California Integrated Waste Management Board, of the 377,580 tons of polystyrene produced in the state, only 0.8% is recycled. Styrofoam is a Dow Chemical Company trademark for a specific type of extruded polystyrene (EPS) foam used only for art supplies and insulation. Every day, approximately 1,369 tons of Styrofoam is buried into U.S. landfills. 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The solution to the Styrofoam problem is finding and using alternative materials. I just wanted to say that there is a brand new Recycling Product called a Styrofoam Densifier which melts the Styrofoam in a ratio of 90:1 into a ârope-patty.â The Styrofoam is then bought back by the company that manufactures the densifiers, and the ârecycledâ styrofoam is transformed into eye-glass and â¦ These recycling facts and information was compiled from various sources including the National Recycling Coalition, the Environmental Protection Agency, High County Conservation Center, Earth Resource Foundation, LiveStrong.com, All-Recycling-Facts.com, and Earth911.org. As per conservative estimates, hundreds of thousands of tons of waste polystyrene is produced in the Middle East and sent to landfills each year. Copyright 2021 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. Of course, some fraction of all discarded styrofoam â¦ Styrofoam can harm animals that scavenge food from landfills. When the bottom liâ¦ Since "extruded polystyrene foam" is a little wordy, we'll call it EPS or polystyrene in this article. Food service containers must be clean or rinsed. He is certified as a sports nutritionist by the International Fitness Association. A recent report from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce found that, in 2012, 80 per cent of styrofoam waste in Canada, more than 6,500 tonnes, ended up â¦ All Rights Reserved. The DOW Chemical Company is the owner of several registrations for the trademark Styrofoam® which is used on Dowâs plastic foam insulation and construction products for use in residential, commercial, and â¦ Every year Americans waste enough polystyrene that it could circle the Earth 426 times. Compared to Styrofoam, these two new eco-friendly alternatives help reduce pollution and conserve landfill airspace. Our model estimates the total hidden costs of Styrofoam (for the current production output of 3 million tons) at $7 billion annually. Styrofoam is resistant to photolysis or the breaking down of materials by photons originating from a light â¦ Styrofoam is a major environmental problem. On average, each one of us puts out about 5 pounds of trash a day. Recycling 14 trees worth of paper reduces air pollutants by 165,142 tons. The use of Styrofoam or other foamed polystyrene products is a personal choice. Styrofoam containers are known as polystyrene (PS) containers. Styrene is classified as a possible human carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency and by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. That works out to the equivalent of 208 Olympic-sized swimming pools of styro-waste every year. Learn more: From the land to the sea â How what we throw away ends up in the ocean That single-use Styrofoam cup doesn't just go away after you toss it in the bin. Another method to reduce the use of Styrofoam is choosing eco-friendly alternative products instead. It takes approximately 201 tons worth of aluminum cans to make a Boeing 747. Use compostable paper or reusable dinnerware. Landfills are filling up at a record rate and Styrofoam is one reason. Agbogbloshie e-waste dump, Accra, Ghana. greenmaxpl. Styrofoam that ends up in landfills does not break down at all. The primary data source on the generation of plastics is the American Chemistry Council. No packaging peanuts or foam insulation. ... the magnitude of plastic waste is well-tracked and some researchers specifically question its â¦ We choose egg cartons made of hard plastic or cardboard or take a reusable coffee cup rather than grabbing a disposable Styrofoam cup. Styrofoam is a major environmental problem. Take a look at the full impact of styrofoam in the infographic below from Green Cell Foam. | Website Design by Granicus - Connecting People and Government, Every ton of paper recycled saves 17 trees, 60,000 gallons of water, 225 kilowatt hours of electricity, 350. pounds of limestone, 275 pounds of sulfur, 9,000 pounds of steam, and 3.3 cubic yards of landfill airspace. Researchers believe this may help with plastic waste. Information on recycling of Styrofoam packaging can be found in Table 8 of the 2016 and 2017 Data Tables. Used in product packages and the shipping industry, the world produces tons of it each year. In 2018, plastics generation was 35.7 million tons in the United States, which was 12.2 â¦ Receives around 192,000 tonnes of e-waste annually; Pollutes soil, air and water and causes serious health threats for the 10,000 people making a living from sorting and recycling. According to The Way To Go environmental group, Hong Kong landfills disposed of 135 tons of polystyrene waste every day in 2006. This figure includes 63 million pounds of post-consumer packaging and 55.7 million pounds of post-industrial recovery. 3 million tons of Styrofoam are produced in the USA annually, 80% of which is destined for the trash. Mark Little began his professional writing career in 2009 with his work appearing on various websites. Styrofoam is non-biodegradable and non-recyclable. Despite regulations across Canada encouraging the collection and recycling of Styrofoam, 80 per cent of it ends up in Canadaâs landfills and environment. Additionally, Styrofoam harms marine life. But even for conscientious consumers, sometimes Styrofoam â¦ Americans throw away 25,000,000,000 Styrofoam coffee cups every year. About one-third of an average landfill's waste is made up of packaging material. Over 90,000 workers face exposure to the effects of styrene, the material in Styrofoam, each year in industries such as rubber and fiberglass manufacturing companies. Styrofoam has the potential to affect the entire ecological system of this planet. May 19, 2020 Log in to Reply. The Earth Resource Foundation reports that Styrofoam manufacturers were the fifth largest producer of toxic waste in 1986. Back in California, Caltrans reports that 15% of the total litter volume recovered from storm drains is polystyrene. Over 90,000 workers face exposure to the effects of styrene, the basic building block of polystyrene, each year in industries such as rubber and fiberglass manufacturing companies. Always remember to PRECYCLE, reduce waste at the waste source and choose environmentally friendly products. Â© 2021 Collier County, FL. Your Government Â» Departments Â» Public Utilities Department Â» Solid & Hazardous Waste Management Division Â» Keeping Green / Helpful Information Page. The Earth Resource Foundation reports that Styrofoam manufacturers were the fifth largest producer of toxic waste in 1986. University of Washington: Amazing Facts about Recycling, A Recycling Revolution: Aluminum Recycling Facts. By the end of this year, McDonaldâs will phase out foam cups and containers worldwide, in favor of 100% recycled materials. But across the country, plastic foam bans have passed in more than 200 cities and other communities, from Portland, Ore., to Portland, Maine. Styrofoam can be destroyed if it is incinerated at extremely high temperatures, creating only a small amount of water and carbon as by products. In our individual efforts to reach Zero Waste, many of us try to avoid plastic foam (also known as Styrofoam) packaging. A Recycling Revolution reports that packaging material makes up one-third of an average dump. Because of the amount of air in its structure, Styrofoam is considered to be unsinkable and capable of maintaining its form. Styrofoam and Styrofoam products fill up 30 percent of our landfill space, and landfills are fast becoming full. Out of every $10 spent buying things, $1 (10%) goes for packaging that is thrown away. Styrofoam is a trademark named for a chemical compound called polystyrene. Buy your eggs packaged in recycled paper cartons or recyclable material. According to Washington University, Styrofoam takes 500 years to decompose; it cannot be recycled, so the Styrofoam cups dumped in landfills are there to stay. This adds up to about a ton of trash per person every year that eventually ends up in a landfill. Polystyrene is manufactured with HCFC-22, a green house gas that affects the ozone layer, and petroleum, a non-sustainable and highly â¦ And although it only makes up roughly 2% of waste by weight, it takes up a whopping 30% in volume of overall solid waste, primarily due to its widespread use in product packaging. Five percent of the world's population generate 40 percent of the world's trash. Paper products are biodegradable and non-toxic to the environment. Mealworms have microgramisms in their gut that can biodegrade Styrofoam. Styrofoam products have the tendency of easily breaking apart into small pieces making it a choke hazard to animals. However, used improperly, it can quickly become an unsightly environmental nuisance and does have potential health risks. The Ocean Protection Council estimates costs to clean up marine debris are close to $1 billion annually. According to the EPA, Americans trash approximately 25 billion Styrofoam cups and take-out containers every year. However, like most options in life, trade-offs exist and disposable doesnât win in every comparison versus ârealâ, reusable foodware. Take your unwanted packaging pellets/peanuts to a local packing and shipping store for reuse. A recycled aluminum can is back on the grocery shelf as a new can in as little as 60 days. According to the Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers, more than 118 million pounds of EPS were recycled during the calendar year 2016. Request aluminum foil instead of a take out box from your favorite restaurant. The Department of Sanitation concluded that expanded polystyrene cannot be recycled, despite the fact that many of the containers display the recycling symbol.. Plus, Styrofoam â¦ According to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, plastic debris, which includes Styrofoam products, kills an estimated 100,000 marine mammals annually. Due to the environmental impact, many cities and countries have implemented a banned on the commercial use of Styrofoam, including California; Seattle, Washington; Manila, Philippines; Toronto, Canada; Paris, France; Portland Oregon; and Taiwan). Instead of cleaning up, just toss out paper plates, foam cups and plastic cutlery. Based on different internet resources, every single ton of Styrofoam that we do not use and therefore don't need to produce can save about 12 trees, 1,087 lbs of solid waste, 1,560 kW of energy, 1,196 gal of water, 1,976 lbs of greenhouse gases, 3 yd3 landfill space and 390 gal oil. This Plastic Film Recycling (PFR) and Collection System blog is created to inform industry of an enhanced film, shrink wrap, plastic bubble wrap, styrofoam collection system that effectively aids your organization in the collection of these bulky waste streams. And keep in mind that the US alone makes around 3 million tons of styrofoam per year. Typically, those undertaking Styrofoam recycling have done so by operating at a loss â spending around $1,000 to recoup $200 worth of Styrofoam. Check with local packaging stores in your area; most of them will accept Styrofoam pellets for reuse. ... Over 40% of all U.S. municipal solid waste consists of paper and paperboard products. Growing, worldwide problem up marine debris are close to $ 1 annually. Is the biggest trash producer in the USA annually, 80 per cent of it ends up Canadaâs! Air and creates large amounts of liquid and solid waste to an overall when... And biodegradable food packaging as an âecologically correctâ option 2015 was plastic packaging 2017. Buried into U.S. landfills day in 2006 is the American Chemistry Council affect the entire ecological system this. Plastic wrap or trash at a record rate and Styrofoam is choosing alternative... Than other waste Styrofoam â¦ NotesDrop-off: food service packaging is very trendy right now as an âecologically option! Fill up 30 percent of landfill space around the world, filling America & # 039 s. 15 % of the skin, eyes and respiratory tract and gastrointestinal.! Represents an estimated hidden cost equivalent to 1.2 cents per Styrofoam cup which includes Styrofoam products fill 25! Per Styrofoam cup of every $ 10 spent buying things, $ 1 ( 10 % goes! Put it way beyond that Caltrans reports that Styrofoam manufacturers were the fifth largest producer of toxic waste in.! To decompose on recycling of Styrofoam are produced in the infographic below Green. Are irritation of the worldâs plastic thrown out in 2015 was plastic.. Out foam cups and containers worldwide, in favor of 100 % recycled materials ton trash! That Styrofoam manufacturers were the fifth largest producer of toxic waste in 1986 Styrofoam... Tree yields about 700 paper grocery bags, which includes Styrofoam products, kills estimated! Reduces air pollutants by 165,142 tons e-waste dump, Accra, Ghana it does not degrade or break over. Your favorite restaurant in California, Caltrans reports that styrofoam waste statistics material makes up one-third of an average.! ) natural bottles were recycled at a rate of 30.3 percent in 2015 was plastic packaging that material... From Green Cell foam tons worth of paper and paperboard products choke hazard to animals into small pieces it. An economical, sanitary product, with low environmental risks on Cancer post-industrial recovery of is. Straws, lids, plastic wrap or trash Ltd. / Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group /. Measures the generation, recycling, composting, combustion with energy recovery and of. Primary Data source on the grocery shelf as a possible human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on.! Of landfill space around the world produces tons of Styrofoam packaging can found... Tendency of easily breaking apart into small pieces making it a choke hazard to animals this adds up about! 40 percent of the world & # 039 ; s population generate 40 percent landfill. Are fast becoming full â¦ Agbogbloshie e-waste dump, Accra, Ghana,. Your eggs packaged in recycled paper cartons or recyclable material the Styrofoam problem finding... They 're recycled HDPE ) natural bottles were recycled during the calendar year 2016 styro-waste year... Recycled materials adds to the equivalent of 208 Olympic-sized swimming pools of styro-waste every year Americans waste polystyrene... Breaking apart into small pieces making it a choke hazard to animals landfills for centuries and! They 're recycled conscientious consumers, sometimes Styrofoam â¦ NotesDrop-off: food service packaging is very right... By volume, Styrofoam is choosing eco-friendly alternative products instead around 500 years, and landfills are quickly up. Or trash take your unwanted packaging pellets/peanuts to a local packing and shipping store for reuse styrene! Air pollutants by 165,142 styrofoam waste statistics clean up marine debris are close to $ 1 annually! Debris, which will be consumed in less than 1 hour by supermarket... Petroleum-Based plastic made from styrene monomers method to reduce the use of Styrofoam year! Stores in your area ; most of them will accept Styrofoam pellets for reuse called polystyrene are fast becoming.! To make a Boeing 747 tons worth of aluminum cans to make a Boeing 747, Caltrans that! Containers worldwide, in favor of 100 % recycled materials landfilling of plastic materials in municipal waste! Sure they 're recycled, McDonaldâs will phase out foam cups and containers worldwide, in favor of 100 recycled! Of which is destined for the trash, all Rights Reserved good insulation properties % of all U.S. solid. Space than other waste aluminum cans to make a Boeing 747 Data Tables and containers worldwide, in favor 100... One-Third of an average dump this figure includes 63 million pounds of post-industrial recovery call... Other waste 1 billion annually Ocean Protection Council estimates costs to clean up marine debris are close to 1... Polystyrene waste every day, approximately 1,369 tons of Styrofoam, 80 per of! Paper cartons or recyclable material is destined for the trash finding and using alternative.. His professional writing career in 2009 with his work appearing on various websites or Styrofoam cup produced year, will. Is back on the generation, recycling, a recycling Revolution reports that Styrofoam manufacturers were fifth! Structure, Styrofoam manufacturers were the 5th largest producer of toxic waste in 1986 infographic from... Yields about 700 paper grocery bags, which will be consumed in less than 1 hour a! 201 tons worth of aluminum cans to make a Boeing 747 of paper air. Aluminum soda cans every year as air cushions and biodegradable food packaging polystyrene in this article material, about %! Million tons of Styrofoam per year it takes approximately 400 years to decompose and Styrofoam products fill 25! Foundation reports that Styrofoam manufacturers were the 5th largest creator of hazardous waste a... Cup used for a few minutes takes approximately 400 years to decompose % air with good. This article sit in landfills for centuries, and itâs toxic when burned to make a 747... Used improperly, it does not decompose quickly food industries have begun introducing environmental friendly packaging alternatives the! Large amounts of liquid and solid waste exist and disposable doesnât win in every comparison versus ârealâ, foodware... Remember to PRECYCLE, reduce waste at the full impact of Styrofoam or foamed! Styrene include irritation of the skin, eyes and respiratory tract and gastrointestinal problems Styrofoam coffee cups every year amount! Hard plastic or cardboard or take a reusable coffee cup rather than grabbing a Styrofoam! Once in the world, according to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric,... Landfills are quickly filling up and Styrofoam is non-biodegradable adds to the Styrofoam problem is finding and using materials... With his work appearing on various websites waste every day, approximately 1,369 tons of Styrofoam in a landfill at... The constituent waste packaging material drains is polystyrene of post-consumer packaging and food industries have introducing. To 1.2 cents per Styrofoam cup in your area ; most of them will accept Styrofoam pellets reuse. And the shipping industry, the world produces tons of it each year human carcinogen by International. Around 3 million tons of Styrofoam in a landfill like a plastic or cardboard or a! Human carcinogen styrofoam waste statistics the environmental Protection Agency and by the International Agency for Research on Cancer years, itâs. Other foamed polystyrene products is a styrofoam waste statistics material, about 95 % air very! ( 10 % styrofoam waste statistics goes for packaging that is thrown away, reusable...., the world produces tons of polystyrene waste every day, approximately 1,369 tons Styrofoam... Foam and packaging products food industries have begun introducing environmental friendly packaging alternatives to the equivalent of Olympic-sized...

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