Polystyrene, also known as Styrofoam, is used in disposable cups and take-out food containers, packing peanuts, trays, and egg cartons.
Fast-food chains, including McDonald's, phased out polystyrene for sandwich containers more than 20 years ago. Ozone layer-depleting CFCs haven't been used to make Polystyrene since the late 1980s.
But environmental groups dislike the material because it involves toxic Styrene, labeled a possible human carcinogen by the EPA. The manufacture of Polystyrene is known to pollute nearby air and water. This type of plastic isn't commonly accepted by municipal recycling programs.
Caption by
Elsa Wenzel
AT&T Tech Support 360
