Styrofoam

  If asked, most people can tell you what Styrofoam is. It's that light-weight plastic material that is used to make disposable items, such as cups and plates, insulation, and packing materials. What most people can't tell you is that Styrofoam isn't the actual name of the product.

  The name Styrofoam is a trademarked name that was one of the original brands of Styrofoam. The actual product itself is called polystryrene. The names are used much in the same way as tissues and gelatin are, with people often asking for Kleenexes and Jell-O instead of asking for the actual product.

  Styrofoam is made up of monomers, that have come together to form a polymer.

  Polymers are materials such as natural rubbers, plastic, parts of a milk jug, and fishing line.

  There are two types of Styrofoam.

  The first kind of Styrofoam is the type that can be recycled. This type of Styrofoam can be heated and cooled multiple times. For example, Styrofoam cups are recyclable.

  The second type is not recyclable. It can't be heated up and cooled multiple times. This type of Styrofoam has a longer chemical composition chain, which makes it unable to be recycled.

  A problem with Styrofoam is that even though a lot of it is recyclable, most recycling places won't accept it. It is too light and a big hassle. A bag full of paper or glass is heavy, but a bag of Styrofoam is still almost weightless and worth almost nothing.

  Places that do accept Styrofoam as recycling rarely get a lot of it brought in for some of the same reasons. A lot of people don't want to collect their Styrofoam when they know they won't really make money from it.

  A lot of people also aren't aware that Styrofoam can be recycled, simply because not many people do recycle it.

  Another problem with Styrofoam is that it isn't biodegradable. This means that it will be in the environment forever.

  There are many problems with Styrofoam remaining in the environment. One of the issues is that animals eat it. When an animal eats Styrofoam, it plugs up the animals stomach and makes it starve to death.

  Another issue with Styrofoam remaining in the environment is that it often collects along coasts and waterways. This happens because Styrofoam is light weight and can float. Styrofoam is now considered the main component of marine debris.

  Styrofoam can also have a negative effect on the environment because people aren't aware of the effects it can have.

  Cody Heddleson, a sophomore, is willing to admit he doesn't know much about the product.

  "All I know about Styrofoam is that when you burn it, it makes napalm," said Heddleson.

  Another problem with Styrofoam that many people might not have thought of is that Styrofoam contains petroleum. Because petroleum is going into Styrofoam, and usually not being recycled, we are losing it as fuel. This makes gas prices go up.

  Marvin Feldner, a science teacher at Shenandoah high school, is very aware of this.

  "Petroleum is one of the things that are used to make Styrofoam," said Feldner. "It is also used to make gas. If petroleum is being used to make Styrofoam, and then not being recycled to get back some of it then we are losing that petroleum. That means that we can't use it to make fuel, which means gas prices will increase."

  Styrofoam is also bad for ozone layer. Hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs are used to make Styrofoam. HFCs are bad for the ozone layer and global warming.

  Although Styrofoam isn't seen as being very environmentally friendly, there are people who use it, and benefits to doing so. Kim Stahl, a high school teacher at Shenandoah high school, prefers Styrofoam for a few reasons, one of the reasons being that it is an insulator.

  "You can't drink coffee from a paper cup, it'll burn you," said Stahl. "It also won't stay hot very long if you don't use a Styrofoam cup."

  Stahl also uses Styrofoam because of the price.

  "You can get a ton of cups for almost nothing when you get Styrofoam," said Stahl.

  The typical price of Styrofoam items, verses items that can be used as alternatives,  are cheaper. Styrofoam is cheaper than plastic by a cent or two, and cheaper than paper from anywhere from  25 to 50 cents.

  There are also some people who don't put much thought into it when they grab Styrofoam items.

  Clara Roberts, a junior, fits into that category.

  "I don't really think about it," said Roberts. "I just go to Wal-Mart, or wherever, and get what I need. I usually get Styrofoam cups."

  Regardless of its environmental effects, Styrofoam is a very popular product that is sure to be around for a long time to come.