Polystyrene (styrofoam) is a cheap plastic used throughout society as a disposable and versatile object. As the name implies, Polystyrene is created through the polymerization of styrene. Polystyrene is used in various objects, whether it be for packaging, containers, automotive parts or even roadway supports.
Due to the cheap and versatility of polystyrene, it is of no surprise that it has been used excessively since it’s development in 1941. Yet the reason as to why polystyrene is a fantastic plastic is the same reason it has become an environmental hazard. Polystyrene is chemically inert, meaning it does not react readily with most compounds. This characteristic makes leeching (a concern of toxicity within food) almost negligible, though it means that PS (polystyrene) is not biodegradable as it does not dissolve in the presence of water, weak acids or bases.
“While it is estimated that EPS foam (or polystyrene) products accounts for less than 1% of the total weight of landfill materials, the fraction of landfill space it takes up is much higher considering that it is very lightweight.” (Michelle Rose Rubio, 2018). The amount of plastics and polystyrene within landfills and the oceans have reached detrimental amounts, and will take centuries to fully degrade in the environment. As such, there has been a large demand for new biodegradable products with largely the same characteristics as PS.
There have been products that utilise starch and cellulose within their PS in order to increase the rate of decomposition, as well as water absorbing resin imbedded into the polystyrene, originally developed by Chinese scientists. One of the most interesting, currently used by CascadesTM involving plastic additives is known as TDPAC. “The foam degrades through exposure to oxygen, heat and ultra-violet light or mechanical stress into a fine powder. Once broken down, bacteria and other micro-organisms can digest the powder. “ (Michelle Rose Rubio, 2018)
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