Environmental Science Blog

I recently took part in a volunteering opportunity where we picked up trash from a local trail. To my surprise, most of the trash I ended up with were Styrofoam. This led me to research the effects of Styrofoam on the environment.

Although Styrofoam is very popular, convenient, and cheap, it can affect the environment in a negative way. According to Fredrika Syren from Zero Waste Family, Styrofoam is not biodegradable. This basically means that it lasts forever. Since Styrofoam floats, it makes up a large percent of pollution in the oceans. According to the National Bureau of Standards Center for Fire Research, there are 57 different chemical byproducts from creating Styrofoam, and it also creates liquid and solid toxic waste and causes air pollution. Syren also includes that hydrofluorocarbons are used to manufacture Styrofoam. Hydrofluorocarbons are detrimental to the ozone layer. Lastly, Styrofoam comes from petroleum: a nonrenewable resource.