QuickCheck: Does polystyrene take 500 years to decompose?

styro

Polystyrene is one of the most common materials used for take-away food packaging.

Its convenient, cheap to use and also helps to keep food warm. However, we tend to throw it away without a second thought once done with it.

That said, is there any truth to the oft-repeated claim that polystyrene takes 500 years to decompose? Is it something we just tell people to motivate them to use reusable or biodegradable containers?

VERDICT:

TRUE

Once polystyrene is in the environment, it will stay there for generations – and it's all because it is chemically very stable.

The Society of Environmental Journalists states that it requires about 500 years to decompose because the atoms in polystyrene form a very strong bond, which means it does not degrade easily due to this stability.

Additionally, bacteria and other microorganisms do not feed on it and it cannot be recycled because polystyrene containers are usually dirty from food residue.

As such, recycling operations cannot handle the contaminated waste.

A second reason why polystyrene is not recycled is because it is difficult to make any money from it – and this is where you have to distinguish polystyrene foam from polystyrene.

Ordinary hard, unexpanded polystyrene is common in commercial use — an example may be that yogurt container in your refrigerator.

It will have the triangular recyclable logo on it and the number six, meaning polystyrene. Clean these and recycle them. Most places will take them.

References:

https://www.sej.org/publications/backgrounders/styrofoam-facts-why-you-may-want-bring-your-own-cup

https://sciencing.com/long-styrofoam-break-down-5407877.html