Recycling Styrofoam at SJV
On the surface, styrofoam appears to be completely innocuous. It is durable, which makes it invaluable for packaging fragile items. It retains heat well without becoming excessively hot, making it perfect as containers for hot beverages such as coffee and tea, as well as for take-out foods. Despite its durability and strength, it is also fragile, so that it breaks down readily.
In reality, styrofoam, which is made of polystyrene, is one of the most harmful substances made. Its manufacturing process emits harmful or undesirable substances into the environment. And while styrofoam does indeed break down easily, this is a source of concern rather than an advantage. Styrofoam degrades by weathering rather than decomposing or biodegrading; that is, it merely breaks down into smaller pieces and particles. It is estimated that it may take 500 years for a piece of styrofoam to completely degrade.
In the meantime, styrofoam poses a significant threat to our environment. Whether through exposure to heat or through the normal process of degrading, styrofoam leaches the chemical compounds used in its manufacture into the environment. Chief among these is styrene, which the National Institute of Health classifies as a neurotoxin and, for humans, a possible carcinogen. Even when it does not leach toxic compounds into the environment, small particles of styrofoam can have a disastrous and often fatal impact on the respiratory and digestive systems of wildlife, and particularly maritime life. The problem is magnified because styrofoam degrades so slowly: each discarded piece of styrofoam contributes to an expanding dynamic of environmental degradation.
A biannual styrofoam collection event
Because recycling styrofoam requires specialized and costly equipment, commercial waste management services do not accept styrofoam for recycling; it must be thrown in the trash. It has been estimated that 30% of landfills consist of discarded styrofoam. However, starting in April 2022, St. John Vianney began holding a biannual styrofoam collection event. We collect clean styrofoam and transport it to a center capable of recycling it. So rather than throwing your styrofoam into the garbage, you can now store it for up to six months and then bring it to the church’s recycling event.
The next styrofoam recycling event
The next styrofoam recycling event will be held on September 16-17, 2023, in the parking lot of the St. John Vianney. You can bring your styrofoam to the church on Saturday, September 16, from 9:00 AM to noon, and on Sunday, September 17, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM.