Styrofoam or Foam Polystyrene is a recyclable product which is commonly used in foam cups, plates and other packaging which is user to protect the good from being subject to damage. Styrofoam is collected at large amounts in daily lives with things like packaging, plates, coffee mugs etc. and at the same time, it is not a naturally degradable substance and hence as a responsible human, we should take care of recycling Styrofoam so that no harm is caused to the environment. We should take the necessary steps to recycle this highly used substance which is not capable of getting decomposed.
Below given are some easy methods which you can follow in order to recycle Styrofoam:
Find a Recycling Site in your Area
Find out a government operated recycling plant in your area where you can drop off the Styrofoam waste so that it can get recycled effectively as the recycling requires equipment and special facilities.
Re-use Styrofoam
You can easily reuse Styrofoam by making different decorative storage containers where you can store accessories and jewelry and similar other small articles. You can also paint them and fill them with soil, thus converting them into pots for planting small saplings in order to beautify your garden.
Return it to the Grocery Store
You can take the collected Styrofoam to the store from where you got it along with the packaging and request them to re-use it for other packaging so that minimum wastage is gathered.
Set up your Own Program
If you find others irresponsive to your efforts towards recycling Styrofoam, you can initiate your move towards opening up your own recycling program. You can tie up with business owners who would love to re-use the foam for packaging their goods. You can collect the Styrofoam waste in your area and can make it reach to the place where it would get recycled effectively.
Use Alternatives
Wherever you can, choose alternatives for Styrofoam. Use recyclable packaging, egg containers, coffee mugs, use and throw plates and all other materials. Take care of avoiding Styrofoam packaging for the products you buy whenever you do not need it.
Clean the Styrofoam
If you plan to put the Styrofoam for recycling, make sure that it is clean and free from contaminants like sticker labels, food particles and other substances which might get disturbed because of chemical process involved in the recycling.
Do not put it with plastic for recycling: it is the most common misconception that that the recycling procedure for plastic and Styrofoam is the same. This is not true at all. Both these substances are different and hence they need to go through different procedures for getting recycled successfully. Hence, you should take care of not mixing up these two.
Follow any of the above given alternatives in order to recycle Styrofoam so that you can do your bit to conserve the environment who has given so much to you.
