Why polystyrene foam is difficult to recycle and banning it is a complex solution

[@delta5297]

Plastics can't really be recycled. We should ban plastics in any application that doesn't absolutely require them.

[@aymanhawari2589]

Lies... Plastic is gasoline/ diesel fuel Put it in a corker you get gas.

[@aymanhawari2589]

Plastic can be converted into fuel through a process called pyrolysis. Pyrolysis involves heating plastic at high temperatures in the absence of oxygen, leading to the breakdown of the plastic into liquid fuel, gas, and char. This process is being explored as a potential method for recycling and reducing plastic waste.

[@A3Kr0n]

Foamcycle recycled 180,000 lbs of foam (90 tons) last year out of an estimated 3 MILLION tons used in the USA each year. If people would quit having babies we could use all the foam we wanted to without worry.

[@bloodlove93]

ok...don't do this...but if you take it and dissolve it in acetone,add in soap flakes to adjust viscosity, it creates a molotov cocktail solution that sticks and keeps burning.

[@brilog69]

Good story!

[@A3Kr0n]

Were you paid to say that?

[@DG-hw8it]

Big blocks are nice for Yoga! I guess you could also use it for 3D printing! 💰

[@rfdinesen4027]

Not so sure about the heating. I know when you get it to a certain temperature it produces styrene and some other nasty chemical compounds.