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Environmental Questions & Answers
Reprinted with permission from
The Genpak Corporation
Q. Aren't food service disposables the main reason
our landfills are filling up?
A. Contrary to public perception, foodservice
disposables make up a mere 1.72% of the United States municipal solid waste
by volume (.92% by weight), and that number is decreasing. In other words,
in 1990 more than 98% of America's garbage was something other than foodservice
disposables. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency statistics show that
Americans toss other common items into the garbage in greater volumes,
including old newspapers, books and magazines(6.5%); discarded clothing
and footwear (4%); and food wastes (3.2%). And we throw out five times
more yard waste than foodservice disposables.
Q. Are styrofoam foam and plastic products
recyclable?
A. Yes. Polystyrene food service packaging
(plates, hinged containerands meat trays) are being recycled. Post-consumer
polystyrene is being collected in schools, corporate cafeterias, grocery
stores, restaurants, parks, manufacturing plants, and by retailers. But,
recycling may not be the answer in many situations. Many tradeoffs should
be considered when choosing products. Products should not be judged solely
on the basis of one environmental measure, such as recyclability. For instance,
a source-reduced, lightweight plastic or foam cup results in less waste
after being used. Yet this product may be less practical to recycle than
a bulkier, heavier glass or steel container.
Q. Do styrofoam products contain recycled
material?
A. Yes. Most styrofoam manufacturers recapture
the scrap material we produce in the manufacturing process, and recycle
and reuse this material on an ongoing basis.
Q. Will styrofoam products biodegrade in landfills.
A. No. There is a general misconception
that being biodegradable is synonymous with being beneficial to the environment.
This is not true. When biodegradable products end up in landfills, they
break down and form leachate and methane gas - two major environmental
problems. Now most modern landfills are constructed to prevent the breakdown
of any materials within them thereby practically eliminating the by-products
that might otherwise contaminate ground water and air.
Q. Do styrofoam products contain CFC's (Chlorofluorocarbons)?
A. No. None of the styrofoam products manufactured
in America contain CFC's. In the production of polystyrene, emissions are
carefully controlled to protect the environment. In fact, the polystyrene
industry was first in the nation to voluntarily discontinue its already
limited use of ozone-depleting CFC's in 1989.
Q. How can polystyrene products be sold at
such a low price compared to comparable paper and paperboard products?
A. Foam products consume 2 to 5 times less
material and energy required to produce than most competing products, thereby
making them more economical while practicing good conservation methods.
Q. Besides price, are there other benefits
to polystyrene disposables?
A. Polystyrene is sturdy, transportable,
and a good insulator. It helps maintain the optimal temperature of hot
and cold foods and beverages. It also helps protect consumers' hands from
hot foods and beverages better than alternatives.
Q. What temperature will foam products start
to distort?
A. Generally, 170 degrees F is the maximum
temperature foam products will withstand. Therefore, these products can't
be put into conventional ovens but can, in certain cases, be used to warm
up foods in a microwave.
Q. Do hard plastic plates and bowls have the
same heat properties as the foam products?
A. Hard plastic plates and bowls will withstand
temperatures up to 210 degrees F but are still not recommended for cooking.
Warming in the microwave is ok.
Q. How are polystyrene products produced?
A. Styrofoam products are first extruded
from raw materials into rolls of sheet. They are then thermoformed into
a shape. What this means is, the sheet is first heated to make it pliable,
then it is formed into the shape we want. All the scrap material produced
during the thermoforming process is recycled and reused in future products.
Q. When were disposables first introduced
and why?
A. Disposables were originally developed
nearly 100 years ago to protect public health, and the need for that protection
is as great today as ever before. Recent studies show that even with washing,
one in seven reusable dishes harbors bacteria at levels exceeding federal
standards. The sanitary nature of polystyrene decreases the likelihood
of potential health hazards and disease; and that's important to everyone.
Q. What would life be like without foodservice
disposables?
A. Imagine paying a deposit for trays,
plates, utensils and glassware when you carryout or have food delivered:
or having to "carry-in" your own containers for carryout food. You just
can't beat foodservice disposables for sanitation, flexibility and convenience.
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