Expanded polystyrene is a lightweight, buoyant, and good insulator material made by combining ethylene and benzene to create styrene. After cleaning, the pearls are expanded in three stages and can be molded into various shapes. It is more environmentally friendly than extruded polystyrene and requires less energy to produce than paper alternatives. It does not biodegrade but can be recycled.
Expanded polystyrene is a plastic foam material that has certain desirable properties due to its structure. It is remarkably light and buoyant and a good insulator against heat and sound. It can be used as a building material or design element and can be molded into many shapes for numerous household uses.
In most cases, expanded polystyrene foam is white and consists of small interconnected beads. It is made by combining the chemicals ethylene and benzene to create a compound known as styrene. The styrene is then treated with other chemicals that cause the styrene molecules to polymerize or group them into long chains. This reaction can only go so far and then it is stopped. The resulting pearls are left to cool and then cleaned.
After formation and cleaning, the pearls need to be expanded, which takes place in three main stages. First, the pearls are heated with hot air or steam until their density is three percent of their original value. The pearls are then cooled for 24 hours and shaped. Once inside the mold, they are injected with low pressure steam, which further expands the beads and fuses them together. When the mold has cooled, the expanded polystyrene is finished and ready for use or shipping.
Expanded polystyrene differs from a similar product called extruded polystyrene in important ways. Extruded polystyrene is produced using chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which are considered by many to be detrimental to the ozone balance in the earth’s atmosphere. Expanded polystyrene is made without these compounds, which makes it more environmentally friendly. Both products, however, can be recycled like all plastics.
Another important advantage of expanded polystyrene, especially for products such as disposable cups, is that it is very convenient. The production of expanded polystyrene requires much less energy than the production of paper-based alternatives. Plus, it has the potential to create far less waste than paper. For example, when burned properly, one ton (907 kg) of Styrofoam cups produces only 0.2 ounces (5.66 g) of ash, while the same amount of paper produces 200 pounds (90.7 kg) of ash.
It should also be noted that polystyrene foam does not biodegrade. This is considered a disadvantage by some, but the fact that it is chemically inert makes it a stable fill material which helps provide for the safe and hygienic remediation of landfills. Despite this, the prevailing trend has been to reduce and recycle expanded polystyrene wherever possible.
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