Preventing Plastic And Styrofoam Pollution: Simple Sustainable Steps

Styrofoam, or expanded polystyrene, is a major contributor to plastic pollution. It is harmful to both humans and animals, and it fills landfills and the environment with waste. Styrofoam contains the chemical styrene, which has been linked to cancer, vision and hearing loss, poor memory and concentration, and an impaired nervous system. It is also used to make takeaway packaging, which can prove problematic when it is littered or leaks out of supply chains, as it can harm wildlife and last for years. So, what can we do to prevent styrofoam and plastic pollution?

Support local and national bills to ban polystyrene

As of June 2024, eleven states and over 250 cities and counties in the United States have banned or placed restrictions on polystyrene foam. You can help to pass a local polystyrene ban by working with your elected representatives. You can download a model 'Beyond Plastics Law' and use it as a starting point.

You can also support national and local bills to ban polystyrene. For example, you can support 'Foam Free Oregon', a bill that would phase out the use of foam takeout containers and cups in the state. By supporting this bill, you can help prevent the harm that polystyrene causes animals, people, and the environment. Nothing we use for only a few moments should harm the Earth for hundreds of years.

At an individual level, you can make eco-friendly choices to eliminate the use of styrofoam. Reduce your use of styrofoam by avoiding single-use items. Use reusable cups, bottles, and cutlery. Some coffee outlets will even offer you a discount if you bring your own mug and cups. Also, use products manufactured from renewable resources, contain biodegradable materials, and are easily recycled.

Styrofoam contains the chemical styrene, which has been classified as a human carcinogen. In addition to cancer, styrene has been linked to vision and hearing loss, poor memory and concentration, and an impaired nervous system. When polystyrene is used for food packaging, chemicals can leach out into the food. This is especially true when foods are hot, acidic, or high in fat. A polystyrene cup used for tea, for instance, will trigger chemical leaching through heat and acidity. If milk has been added, the migrating chemicals will be absorbed by the lipid content of the milk, and made easy to ingest.

Avoid using polystyrene for food packaging

To prevent styrofoam and plastic pollution, you can avoid using polystyrene for food packaging. Polystyrene is a major contributor to global plastic pollution. Its lightweight and bulky properties make it a waste nightmare. Expanded polystyrene foam is particularly harmful, filling landfills and the environment with tons of waste and causing harm to both humans and animals.

One way to avoid using polystyrene for food packaging is to support legislation that bans or restricts its use. As of June 2024, eleven states and over 250 cities and counties in the United States have taken such action. You can work on passing a local polystyrene ban by using resources provided by organisations like Beyond Plastics, which offers a model "Beyond Plastics Law" that can be used as a starting point with elected representatives.

Another way to reduce polystyrene use is to return it to the store where you purchased the goods. Many retailers have compactors for polystyrene on their premises and will send it off for recycling. This encourages these retailers to put pressure on their suppliers to choose more sustainable and easily recyclable packaging, such as moulded cardboard.

You can also choose biodegradable packaging made from materials like cornstarch, sugarcane, or bamboo. These materials can break down naturally over time and do not contribute to the global plastic pollution problem.

Use alternative, easily recycled materials

To prevent styrofoam and plastic pollution, you can use alternative, easily recycled materials. For example, biodegradable packaging made from cornstarch, sugarcane, or bamboo is a great alternative to styrofoam. These materials can break down naturally over time and do not contribute to the global plastic pollution problem.

Another alternative is to use moulded cardboard instead of styrofoam. This can be recycled more easily and cheaply than styrofoam, and it encourages retailers to put pressure on their suppliers to choose more sustainable packaging.

You can also try to avoid using expanded polystyrene foam, which is a big contributor to plastic pollution. It harms the health of both humans and animals and fills landfills and the environment with waste. By supporting bills and campaigns that aim to phase out the use of foam takeout containers and cups, we can help to prevent the harm that polystyrene causes.

Additionally, you can work on passing a local polystyrene ban. This is an effective way to reduce plastic pollution and help grow the movement against single-use plastics. You can use model laws as a starting point and work with your elected representatives to implement these changes.

Support the movement against single-use plastics

As an individual, you can support the movement against single-use plastics by making eco-friendly choices to eliminate the use of styrofoam. Avoid single-use items and use reusable cups, bottles and cutlery instead. Some coffee outlets will even offer you a discount if you bring your own mug and cups. You can also use products manufactured from renewable resources, biodegradable materials and those that are easily recycled.

You can also support local and national campaigns to ban polystyrene. Eleven states and over 250 cities and counties in the United States have already banned or placed restrictions on polystyrene foam. You can download a model "Beyond Plastics Law" and use it as a starting point with your elected representatives.

You can also support bills such as "Foam Free Oregon", which would phase out the use of foam takeout containers and cups in the state.

Encourage your local government to pass a polystyrene ban

One of the most effective ways to prevent styrofoam and plastic pollution is to encourage your local government to pass a polystyrene ban. As of June 2024, eleven states and over 250 cities and counties in the United States have banned or placed restrictions on polystyrene foam.

Polystyrene foam is a major contributor to plastic pollution, filling landfills and the environment with tons of waste. It also harms the health of both humans and animals. The chemical styrene, which is found in polystyrene, has been classified as a human carcinogen and has been linked to vision and hearing loss, poor memory and concentration, and an impaired nervous system. When polystyrene is used for food packaging, these chemicals can leach out into the food, especially when the food is hot, acidic, or high in fat.

You can start by downloading a model law, such as the "Beyond Plastics Law", and using it as a starting point with your elected representatives. You can also support bills that would phase out the use of foam takeout containers and cups, such as "Foam Free Oregon". By supporting these initiatives, you can help prevent the harm that polystyrene causes to animals, people, and the environment.

In addition to supporting a polystyrene ban, you can also make eco-friendly choices in your daily life to reduce your use of styrofoam. This includes avoiding single-use items and using reusable cups, bottles, and cutlery. You can also look for products that are manufactured from renewable resources, contain biodegradable materials, and are easily recycled. By making these choices, you can help reduce the impact of styrofoam on our planet.

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