How to Recycle Styrofoam and Peanuts

Styrofoam packing peanuts are often used when shipping electronics.

Packing peanuts are often referred to as Styrofoam, but that name is actually a trademark of the Dow Chemical Company. Polystyrene is the proper term for the material used to make Styrofoam packing peanuts; it can be used and sold by any company. This material is harmful to the environment when it is disposed of improperly. Styrofoam packing peanuts are made with toxic chemicals and take a long time to decompose in a landfill. Animals inadvertently swallow packing peanuts, which can cause them to starve to death. Recycling packing peanuts keeps them out of harm's way.

Instructions

1. Keep the Styrofoam packing peanuts and reuse them yourself. Store Styrofoam in your house until you need to ship a package, then recycle your stored packing peanuts.

2. Contact local craft shops. Many people use Styrofoam when making crafts. Craft shops may accept Styrofoam to recycle for art pieces or other projects.

3. Visit Earth911.com. This website lists recycling centers in your area that accept polystyrene. Enter polystyrene rather than Styrofoam in your search.

4. Mail Styrofoam packing peanuts to The Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers. This organization has a mail-back program that allows you to send Styrofoam to them for recycling. You must pay for postage with this option.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep packing peanuts away from pets or small children to avoid accidental ingestion.

References

• Green Living Tips: Recycling polystyrene - aka Styrofoam

Resources

• Earth911.com
• The Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers