Styrofoam beads are used for beanbag stuffing and packing peanuts, but are not easily recyclable. Solid polystyrene is a common plastic used in various products, including beanbag chairs. Contact local recycling facilities for disposal options. Styrofoam is a trademarked brand of extruded polystyrene foam insulation.
Styrofoam beads are the tiny bits of expanded polystyrene that are used to make the familiar stuffing of beanbag chairs and stuffed toys, among other things. They are used to create the loose, protective packaging material commonly called “packing peanuts.” Polystyrene itself is a thermoplastic material that exists in solid form at room temperature and melts when heated. It is a recyclable material, but many recycling facilities are not equipped to process these “number 6” recyclables. Local recycling facilities can confirm to residents whether or not polystyrene can be discarded with recyclable paper, glass and aluminum foil for curbside pickup.
The most common form of plastic, solid polystyrene is a hard, colorless plastic that is semi-rigid and has limited flexibility. It can be processed as a transparent material or infused with artificial colors. Disposable picnic cutlery, model vehicles, smoke detector wrappers, reusable “dog boxes” that are gaining popularity among restaurant chains, and DVD cases are everyday examples of solid Styrofoam’s myriad uses.
The “beans” in bean bag chairs are made from polystyrene beads, also called polystyrene pellets, and are an example of expanded polystyrene. Nut packing, home insulation, and foam tumblers are further examples of Styrofoam. Styrofoam beads in a bean bag will eventually need to be replaced; while they are not biodegradable, they will flatten and begin to crack when squeezed and the air is squeezed out of the foam. As with other polystyrene products, please contact your local recycling authorities if curbside collection of this material is not available. Polystyrene is typically manufactured in one of three forms: extruded polystyrene, expanded polystyrene foam, and extruded expanded polystyrene foam.
Manufactured by Dow Chemical, extruded polystyrene foam insulation is sold under the registered trademark of Styrofoam®. Like other products that have become so common that a brand name has become an umbrella term (e.g., Q-Tips, Kleenex, Popsicle), Styrofoam® is often used as an umbrella term to describe other expanded polystyrene items. The polystyrene used for bean bags and peanut packaging is not extruded polystyrene foam (XPS), but expanded polystyrene foam. In addition to furniture stuffing and peanut packing, Styrofoam beads are also used to create the custom-shaped packing material that cushions fragile objects for transportation.
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