How much does a Styrofoam tray cost?
Plastic foam is cheap! At approximately 3.5 cents per tray, the upfront cost makes it difficult to find “cost neutral” alternatives.
What are school lunch trays made of?
Polystyrene foam
Schools throughout the United States use roughly 5.76 billion foam food trays each school year. Polystyrene foam, which is often mistakenly referred to as Styrofoam®, a registered trademark of the Dow Chemical Company, is used to make these lunch trays.
How much do reusable trays cost?
The cardboard trays cost $0.09 each and the red plastic reusable trays cost only $3.50 each.
What are Styrofoam trays made of?
Construction and composition Foam take-out containers are made from expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam, or another type of polystyrene foam, and produced by injecting the foam into a mold. They are usually white in color, although they may be printed or impressed with a company logo or other message.
Why do schools use disposable lunch trays?
Current Practices. Still, disposable ware seems convenient because it doesn’t have to be washed. But, continually buying and throwing away paper, cardboard, or plastic items may not be cost effective over time. In addition, discarding large amounts of materials leads to concern about environmental impacts.
How long does it take for a Styrofoam to decompose?
500 years
Non-Biodegradable Pollutant Some experts estimate the decomposition of Styrofoam to 500 years, with limited recycling options.
What are the dangers of Styrofoam?
The manufacturing of polystyrene requires the use of hydrocarbons such as styrene and benzene. These hydrocarbons are released into the air and react with nitrogen oxides to produce ground-level ozone, a hazardous air pollutant. Ground-level ozone can impair lung function and lead to respiratory illness.
Is Styrofoam safe for food?
Regulatory bodies around the world, such as the US Food and Drug Administration and The European Commission/European Food Safety Authority, who undertake rigorous studies to evaluate a product’s safety, have not changed their view that polystyrene is safe for foodservice packaging.
Will Styrofoam melt in the sun?
A study published by researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) shows that polystyrene, one of the world’s most ubiquitous plastics, may degrade in decades or centuries when exposed to sunlight, rather than thousands of years as previously thought.
Is Styrofoam worse than plastic?
Styrofoam insulates much more effectively than plastic, which means your cold drinks stay colder longer and your hot drinks stay hotter. Plastic cups are not recommended for hot drinks, and they do not have the insulation properties of Styrofoam.