Why Don't We Recycle Styrofoam? - Speaking of Chemistry 

EPS can be chipped and used as the aggregate for lightweight concrete

This is an excellent video. Somebody asked this question in a meeting I attended just 2 weeks ago. I will pass this on to the group.

So as usual, everything comes down to money.

Some accurate information but poor connection of the facts. In many cases foam polystyrene can be economically recycled. And, it is concerning that so much attention is put on materials that consume a miniscule portion of the waste stream. To make this type of coverage really valuable there should be an actionable message - not just "oh, this isn't recyclable".

While this video is informative and gets a lot right, it is also incorrect in the overall message that it is not economical to recycle EPS. The alternatives to EPS use more water to produce and emit more greenhouse gas due to their increased shipping weight. Cities like Los Angeles have added EPS to their curbside program at no cost to the city and they are successfully recycling it. There are also a number of public drop-offs available all over the US that can be found here: www.recyclemoreplastic.org/plastics/eps_map.html

this is a huge help to my investigatory project! 😄

Why not recycle it for a different industry such as construction. I hear styro is a good insulator. Just a little art and style would make it profitable

That’s not correct that it is to expensive to recycle if it has food residue in it ! They just don’t know the technology needed and it is cheap and there are 3 ways Invented by a company in Australia 🇦🇺. 2 of them are full eco and they also invented a way to use it in existing industries that improve the product greatly and economically very positive . In fact one of those companies says it can’t actually get enough and wish it could !

Is there a reason polystyrene food containers aren't banned across the United States?

Not much of an explanation: “Styrofoam exists. It costs money to recycle (like all things). They don’t recycle it.” If these recyclers are being run as businesses, then that would make sense. But I don’t care about how recycling plants are run, I want them to take the styrofoam in my living room and do something with it other then put it in a landfill...

Thank you, but why don't we replace all these containers by bio-degradable alternatives - at least for takeout containers? How long does it take decompose EPS - versus all alternatives?

Why dont we outlaw the use of it ? There are many other biodegradable options..

I think we should replace these containers with a GREENER alternative. I Refuse to use.

Sounds like THEY dropped the ball on RECYCLING... i thought that recycling was for the earth and damn the cost !

Can I put EPS in eco-bricks? (bottles) I'm from Perú and here almost all delivery or companies use EPS 😰

That an interesting explanation; we should share it

Ban styrofoam! I mean, expanded polystyrene!

ok, nice explanation. no need to advertise the brand of fast food. If you say it once it is ok as example, you say it twice then in my opinion it is advertisement.

Go ACS!!

Great explanation, thanks! Probably better off that it is not recycled and is banned, since it could not be entirely reused, especially not at the same grade of material.

I am trying to find out more information about starting a recycling center here in Chicago for EPS recycling. Can anyone point me in the right direction? I suppose I need to learn more about the recycling process itself. Any ideas where to begin? Thanks in advance!!

Recycling EPS THE MEXICO JOSE LUIS CARDOSO.

Here is a video about what they are doing in southern CA ... maybe they can have a NY company "densify' the foam for CA use ...just send by freight train. A truck load would be 1,000lbs .... but compacting it into dense ingots makes a truck load 40,000lbs! Here's the link: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-UAYl8zrOQZo.html

Attempt ZERO-WASTE!!!

It's fascinating how many people enjoy the natural raw wild organic sensations mother Earth has to offer, but yet the majority of the population is not doing anything to demand from leaders that we improve upon and maintain the quality of standards pertaining to our air, water, foods, landscapes, working and living environment every day home products to be made manufactured mass-produced in a way that doesn't disrupt or diminish the quality of life, by leaving excess poisonous ,toxic, wastes behind you can't be pro-life if your doing business with outdated power sources, inferior materials, poisonous, toxic substances that have been scientifically classified, religiously verified as petrified death! Better known as coal, oil and gas the chemical industry. Which now that Donald Trump has been bought off and paid out by lifting sanctions and deregulating! Putting Caps ON restricting what the EPA FDA drug and food ministration, health and human services environmentalists can present to the public. Our air ,water ,landscapes ,working and living environments are going to be facing oil spills, gas leaks, toxins being burnt off in to our airways) much more frequent with less consequence which is going to result in, cause environmental financial global collapse. Combined with all the health risks that have already been established from business being conducted in this, low-quality outdated manner, by top scientists leading physician specialist the EPA,FDA, drug and food ministration Surgeon General's warnings. They say not to use a generator inside your house or car garage for carbon monoxide poisoning is a leading cause of death! So very soon you will have pipelines from coast-to-coast burning off this petrified death! It is basically bringing the generator inside our house. The oldest trick the Republicans have been using preventing these programs from doing their job is by defunding them. It's what happened the whole time during Obama's presidency it is irritating negligent that Democrats are not bringing these points out sharing these facts would Americans. Talk about play hardball! Talk about pro-life ,women's rights and gay-rights. How about the right to clean air, water, high nutritional value foods. Democrats are only bringing up social classification rights. There not hitting the fundamental rights which is air water, foods, landscapes ,working, living environment and every day home products being made with advanced materials resources substances, that are stronger, lighter more versatile easier to work with+ plus the + these products can freely be used manufactured mass-produced as much is the people need or want without leaving any excess poisonous waste behind. Democrats are pushing how important it is that women have the right for a abortion. Will do the fathers have the right to make sure the kids have clean air, water and high nutritional value foods available 24 seven. As ignorant as the Democrats are behaving right now, the Republicans are celebrating being vindictive. By doing everything they can to keep the majority of the population of Americans) overwork, underpaid, out of shape, sick weak ,desperate ,overfed' undernourished' with them dirty low-paying jobs, that come from outdated! Power sources) inferior materials, poisonous, toxic substances, pesticides ,chemicals that never change their killing composition. Which means whether it is a solid liquid or burnt off into our airways atmosphere as a vapor, it is always going to be poisonous debilitating deadly to the body' at the same time"polluting corrupting devastating to mother Earth) and all the various different forms of life that live within this world. In layman's terms you cannot promote life by doing business with material resources substances that have been scientifically classified religiously verified as petrified death or worse which all stem from coal oil gas the chemical industry dirty low-paying jobs which has resulted in today's people living dying to a diminished quality of life. At the same time living dying having only used the smallest percentage of a fraction of the true potential one is first born with. Adding insult to injury Dirty low-paying jobs that have the potential of causing environmental financial global collapse. Here's the deal there is no profit to be made in the demise of the planet. The bottom line is we have the manpower technology capability resources, to create clean high-paying jobs from coast-to-coast that will improve upon and maintain the quality of our air water foods landscapes working living environment every day HOME products. We have the manpower technology capabilities resources to manufacture mass produce in a way that benefits the body planet soul spirit. We can create clean high-paying jobs coast-to-coast that come from advanced power sources that are self sustainable renewable New Age high quality material resources substances that are stronger lighter easier to work with far more versatile making the design possibility practically limitless. Allowing people to be able to rebuild faster stronger and half the time at a fraction of the cost. That type of leadership loyalty devotion and commitment passion desire to live. Will allow the best chance for each person's generation to become stronger smarter healthier happier better off physically mentally financially possibly spiritually than the previous generation. You tell me which way you think life as a whole will be better off spiritually dirty low-paying or clean high-paying S.R.F.XOXOX

Yeeee weve done all we can do lol