Is Styrofoam recyclable?
You just bought a new TV or an extra monitor for your computer that arrived snugly packaged at your home. You toss the cardboard box in your recycling bin, but what about the foam packaging? Is Styrofoam recyclable?
Expanded polystyrene (EPS), commonly called “Styrofoam,” is typically not recyclable in curbside recycling programs. Beyond packing materials, Styrofoam is often used in disposable cups, take-out containers, and packing peanuts, and is usually embossed with a tiny number six in a triangle or stamped with PS #6.
(Some packing peanuts are made from biodegradable plant-based material. You can check if your packing peanuts are biodegradable by running them under water. If they dissolve after a few minutes, they are!)
If you’re like us, you may feel guilty about throwing Styrofoam in the trash to languish in a landfill, and for good reason. It took two days for your foam-wrapped TV to be delivered, and five minutes to unpack it. Now that foam can have an impact on the environment and wildlife for decades or more — hardly a legacy you had in mind when you made your purchase.
Good to know: Although EPS is commonly referred to as "Styrofoam," it's not Styrofoam at all. StyrofoamTM is the brand name of an industrial product invented in 1941 and owned and manufactured by DuPont. Originally known for its blue color, it’s now produced in gray and used to insulate homes and buildings.
Styrofoam and the environment
For now, many municipalities have options for recycling your Styrofoam — we share them in our local recycling guides. But nationally, a foam reduction movement is afoot. In 2023, members of Congress introduced the “Farewell to Foam Act” to ban foam food containers, loose-fill foam (aka packing peanuts), and single-use foam coolers.
Many cities and states, concerned about foam’s impact on the environment, are cracking down on plastic foam too. Already, 11 states and more than 250 cities and communities have passed foam restrictions. Los Angeles is one of the latest cities to take a legislative whack at EPS.
Starting in April 2024, a citywide foam ban went into effect prohibiting businesses and retail locations from using EPS products. When enacting its ban, L.A. noted that foam is typically used only briefly — but can have these long-lasting environmental consequences:
It does not biodegrade in nature.
It poses a risk to wildlife — animals sometimes eat bits of styrofoam, mistaking them for fish eggs.
Because the material is so lightweight, it can easily escape from open garbage cans and trucks, polluting wherever it lands.
Foam can leach toxic chemicals into the environment when it is landfilled. In 2011, the National Institutes of Health listed styrene, used to make polystyrene, as one of the substances “reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens.” According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, it is “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”
L.A. suggests alternatives to EPS like cardboard, compostable plant fibers, plastic, aluminum and tin, glass, and other durable and reusable products.
You may have seen the new cardboard coolers popping up at local retailers. Igloo makes one made from recycled cardboard designed to be more durable than Styrofoam, and without the squeak! They claim the new coolers hold water for up to 5 days without leaking, and keep ice frozen for up to 12 hours. We haven’t tried one yet, but we want to soon! Let us know @recyclebycity if you do. Do the new recycled cardboard coolers stand up to the hype?
Reducing your foam use
When it comes to foam, it’s a good idea to recycle foam after you use it. But reducing your use may be the best way to protect the environment. Here are some ideas:
- Buy less: When it’s so easy to have something shipped to your house, you may end up buying more. Be mindful of your purchases and the cost (to the environment) of having items sent to your front door.
Bring your own containers: If you’re getting takeout or plan to have leftovers, ask the restaurant not to use foam, or bring your own reusable container when dining out.
Speak up: If your favorite takeout place uses EPS foodware, suggest they switch to recyclable plastic containers, or if they compost, compostable containers. Did a company overdo it with packaging for your new piece of furniture? Send them a note with your feedback.
Find Styrofoam recycling options in your community
Recycling foam will take some extra work, but our goal is to make it a little easier for you. Review the foam recycling guidelines for your community in our household guides. You can find additional foam recycling options in this Foam Recycling Centers database.
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