Why Don't We Recycle Styrofoam? - Speaking of Chemistry

It’s common practice to recycle paper, glass, and many plastics—in fact, about 35% of the trash produced in the U.S. is recycled or composted. So why can’t we recycle what’s commonly referred to as Styrofoam? (It’s actually expanded polystyrene, or EPS—a bit different!) In episode 19 of Speaking of Chemistry, host Sophia Cai explains that EPS actually can be recycled, but the prohibitive costs have prompted cities to ban the pesky product instead.

If this episode leaves you wanting to know more about recycling EPS, read the sources below.

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Fuming Over Foam
http://cen.acs.org/articles/93/i12/Fu...
Volume 93 Issue 12 | pp. 23-25
Issue Date: March 23, 2015

New York City Bans Expanded Polystyrene Food Containers, Opens Market To Alternatives
http://cen.acs.org/articles/93/web/20...
C&EN Latest News
Web Date: January 12, 2015