How Is Expanded Polystyrene Environmentally Friendly?
There are many forms of polystyrene such as Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) and Expanded Polystyrene (EPS). Expanded Polystyrene is a lightweight cellular plastic material consisting of small hollow spherical balls, where the closed cellular structure gives EPS its remarkable characteristics. For example, once presented against a flame the EPS material melts away, and when flame is removed the material cools down and will solidify again once cooled.
Due to Expanded Polystyrene’s closed cellular structure it is able to produce a wide range of densities, providing a varying range of physical properties that are matched to various applications where the material is used to optimize its performance and strength.
How is Expanded Polystyrene Environmentally Friendly?
Expanded polystyrene is more environmentally and sustainable than what people believe. In 2016, more than 120 million pounds of polystyrene had been recycled. If people were to recycle and reuse polystyrene the more environmentally friendly it becomes. For example, EPS brings considerable energy and resource, where it makes saving benefits smarter and a sustainable choice.
Expanded polystyrene can deliver up to 200 times its own resource in thermal energy saving, where it enables it to minimize both environmental impacts and costs. It can reduce costs in shipping fees due to its light weight packing materials, which will therefore decrease fuel consumption. It also great for its cushioning and thermal properties, where it lowers the damage rates and maintain a secure cold chain for temperature sensitive products.
Effects on the atmosphere:
What most people don’t realize is that expanded polystyrene helps reduce carbon dioxide emissions and a very positive contribution to the alleviation of global warming. With the effective application of Expanded Polystyrene insulation could cut up to 50% of carbon emissions. An effective application of Expanded Polystyrene can withstand up to the remaining life of the building, where it helps reduce energy requirement, thereby requiring the combustion of fossil fuels. Due to the combustion of fossil fuels, it helps in the reduction of carbon dioxide being generated.
What most people will find is that Expanded polystyrene does not break down, or deteriorate over time unless melted down to be reused or recycled. Due to this the performance of EPS does not deteriorate during it’s lifetime, therefore the reduction in emissions lasts the full lifetime of the building.
Lifecycle of EPS
- Expanded polystyrene is made up of tiny grains which are expanded using steam, molded into shaped or large blocks depending on the application
- It is widely used in packaging applications for the transport of produce, seafood, fragile items, as well as building solutions.
- Once no longer being used it is sent off to recycling collection centers across Australia.
- Éxpanded polystyrene is then recycled through granulation and is stored in a hopper before being compacted.
- Compacted EPS is then melted, pelletized, and converted into general purpose polystyrene.
- Recycled Expanded polystyrene can be found in CD cases, coat hangers, and synthetic timers.
EPS in landfill:
Most of the waste in landfill is primarily made up of general food waste, where the total amounts of plastics in our municipal solid waste is only 7% by weight. Expanded polystyrene also only costs of 0.1% found in landfill. The average amount of food wasted in the Australian garbage makes up 30%.
Expanded Polystyrene is an inert and is non-toxic and acts as a plant growth on reclaimed sites. Expanded polystyrene does not degrade, not leach any substances into the ground water, nor will it form methane gas, where the disposal of the product is minimalized.
Overall, the misconducts of polystyrene where people believe it is a harmful substance, is true but it is also false. It has also been that research has shown that Expanded Polystyrene is highly beneficial for the environment, lasting the same lifespan as a building, decreasing the costs of fuel consumption, being made up of 99% of air, and the other 0.1% global crude oil, and where it takes up no more than 0.1% in landfill. It has also been shown that if Expanded polystyrene is used effectively it could cut carbon emissions by 50%
