Environmental Issues of Polystyrene Polystyrene, more commonly known as Styrofoam, is often the material of choice for many meat, poultry, seafood, and produce processors; although this material is widely used, it poses substantial threats to both human health and the environment as a whole. 500 Years to Decompose… Large quantities of polystyrene are used every day and are often disposed of in household trash bins and make their way to [...]

WHAT ABOUT FOAMED PET? Foamed PET has the look and feel of polystyrene, but it is made from PET plastic.  Never heard of it?  You’re not the only one!  The two largest MRFs (materials recovery facility) in California and the largest MRF in the U.S. never heard it either – and don’t recycle it.  In fact, the entire state of NY does not accept ANY material that is foamed.   [...]

Molded Fiber -- Deforestation Molded fiber (aka molded pulp) vs PET plastic (For the abridged PDF version, click here.) The City of San Diego could be banning foam meat trays, and that has sent retailers and food processors alike scrambling for an eco-friendly alternative. In fact, more than 200 cities, counties, and communities (as well as a few states) have already banned foam used in other applications [...]

Foam Ban States Did you know that the packaging industry represents one-third of all trash? Did you know that foam food trays are key contributors to that trash? For years, scientists have documented the harmful effects that foam has had on the environment. Not only is the production process abysmal for air quality, but the disposal of foam has an extremely detrimental effect on the earth. Since [...]

DID YOU KNOW? Compostable bioplastic foam trays can start to melt/warp at low temperatures (e.g., 105°F for some), making them very difficult to use — especially in warm climates. They should be shipped in refrigerated trucks and cannot be stored on a detached truck. They generally cannot be stacked above 15 feet (because warm air rises, causing melting/warping). They are not as eco-friendly as the name implies. They should be [...]

Blog Going Green – and Going Crazy? Just what do polystyrene, PET, polypropylene, compostable, biodegradable and recyclable mean anyway? Are you considering an alternative to your foamed plastic food trays, but confused as to what the differences are among the various options?  If so, you’re not alone!  So, we’ve decided to answer the most frequently asked questions we receive – in the [...]