Polystyrene was laying around on the beach, soaking up the sun, using her real name so she could remain surreptitious. For those of you who do not know her, her street name is Styrofoam, also known as the Deadly Styrofoam. I will attempt to explain to you what Polystyrene is and what she is capable of doing to our environment. Polystyrene is a petroleum-based plastic better known as Styrofoam.
As she relaxed on the beach, Polystyrene contemplated about ways to damage our environment and how she could hitch a ride to our overfilled landfills. She closed her eyes and dreamt about her destructive capabilities. She started to laugh in her sleep because she knew that most of us do not understand that Styrofoam lasts a lifetime and it also has the ability to resist photolysis (the ability to break down) when exposed to protons of light. As a matter of fact, she was also thinking about how little she weighed and about how Styrofoam has the capability to float, which means it can travel long distances before being cleaned up or removed. She was so deep in her dreams, that she did not realize she was floating away and heading for the DetroitRiver. When she awoke from her dreams she did not recognize her new home, but she knew it would be another sanctuary for her to instigate havoc. Polystyrene knew she would not be alone for long because people in the world continue to buy Styrofoam products, despite the harm they can cause.
Not only do they harm the environment, Styrofoam containers can be harmful to our health. For example, serving your food in or on Styrofoam (polystyrene) plates, containers or cups can cause your food to absorb chemicals. This creates health issues and the possibility of affecting the human reproductive system. These negative health effects will be accentuated by reheating food in those Styrofoam containers. Additionally, the National Bureau of Standards for Fire Research has noted that 57 chemical by-products released during the manufacturing and creation of Styrofoam (Polystyrene) can create many other health risks as well. During its manufacture, hydrofluorocarbons (HFC’S) are created, which have the potential to negatively impact the ozone and worsen global warming. Even though HFC’s are supposed to be less detrimental to the ozone than CFC’s, HFC’s still present a serious problem.
However, there is a group in Detroit, The Green LifeSaver Recycling Foundation, that is trying to put an end to Polystyrene in their community. The manager, Brianna Moore, is spreading the word and educating the citizens of Detroit about the deadly impact that Styrofoam can have on your health and the environment. She is putting up flyers with information for you to research and become educated, so everyone can learn about the harms that Polystyrene (Styrofoam) can cause. So, take her advice: stop buying and using Polystyrene. If you must buy Styrofoam, heed the warning information that has been supplied by Brianna L. Moore and Green LifeSaver Recycling Foundation in Detroit.
So please remember: after enjoying your day at the beach or at your local park, please don’t forget to remove all of your trash and dispose of it in the proper place. Taking your trash with you helps to keep our beaches and parks clean and beautiful, for all to enjoy. Also, disposing of your trash properly helps to preserve our natural resources for future generations.
For a place to recycle your Styrofoam products in the Metro Detroit area, please follow the link: http://www.dart.biz/web/environ.nsf/pages/micorecy.html
By Brianna L. Moore, Volunteer Youth Blogger
