What is an eco friendly alternative to Styrofoam?

Polylactic Acid (PLA) lined paper is an excellent sustainable alternative to Styrofoam food packaging. It's a plant-based resin made from corn starch used to create compostable containers and liners for cups or packaging to avoid water damage.

cruzfoam.com - Top 5 Styrofoam Alternatives And Their Pros and Cons - Cruz Foam

What is the life expectancy of a pole barn house?

In fact, it is possible that with the proper care, pole barns could last upwards of 100 years. Many builders and experts cite 40-60 years to be on...

Last updated Apr 9, 2019

What are low skilled jobs?

Line cooks, farmworkers, construction workers, and grocery clerks, among others, are all considered “low-skilled labor” according to the BLS. Jan...

Last updated Jul 27, 2022

Are shed plans easy to follow?

These are! They guide you every step of the way to complete your dream shed.

Learn More »

Promotion

Polystyrene and Styrofoam are some of the most widely used types of plastic. They’ve become the go-to lightweight solution across various industries, given their low cost. Whether it’s fast-food packaging, cushioning for your fragile deliveries, or basic insulation, it’s something you might encounter daily. And that’s precisely the problem. Styrofoam is by no means an eco-friendly or environmental solution. All Styrofoam leaves its mark. That’s where Styrofoam alternatives come in. It’s no wonder that more countries have put a ban on Styrofoam. With consumers and multiple industries taking a stand against polystyrene products, we must continue to explore genuine, sustainable alternatives, wiping out Styrofoam use altogether. To get you started, we’ve put together a list of the top Styrofoam substitutes, unpacking their pros and cons.

What Is The Ban On Styrofoam?

New York kickstarted January 2022 with a ban on expanded Polystyrene foam containers and “packing peanuts” used for cushioning with online deliveries. Banning single-use plastics is becoming more and more widespread, starting with plastic bags and straws. While dozens of US cities and counties have banned Styrofoam food packaging, peanuts, and coolers, (most are in California) as of today, there are only eight state-level bans in Colorado, Main, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington State. In 2017 when the U.S withdrew from the Paris Climate Accord, grassroots organizations sprung into action, doubling their efforts to push conscious consumerism. To date, most cities and states have community-driven advocacy groups pushing for environmental legislation on a local level. You guessed it, one of the products receiving the most attention is Styrofoam, and it’s no wonder why.

The Pros And Cons of Styrofoam

Before we unpack the pros and cons of Styrofoam substitutes, let’s take a moment to understand the ins and outs of Styrofoam itself.

Pros

Expanded Polystyrene provides top-quality lightweight insulation. That’s why it’s so prevalent in the foodservice industry. You can serve piping hot coffee in a Styrofoam cup, and it’ll maintain the heat all while preventing your fingers from burning. Better yet, it’ll keep your to-go food warm or cold until you have the chance to eat it, providing a solution to keep food fresh for longer. Styrofoam is moldable, making it easy to create various containers in all shapes and sizes. On top of that, it weighs less than paper, making it an easy solution for cushioning in packages.

Cons

What size building can you put up without planning?

Building materials must be similar to the existing property. It takes up less than 50% of the land surrounding the property. Must be less than 4...

Last updated Jan 22, 2019

What are the 5 furniture styles?

We have tried to make understandable list of major furniture styles popular in homes. TRADITIONAL. Traditional style of furniture reproduces the...

Last updated May 28, 2022

These are the Best Shed Plans!

Comprehensive and Intuitive to follow. Build That Shed!

Learn More »

Promotion

Styrofoam’s impact on the environment is extensive. While many believe it’s biodegradable or recyclable, Styrofoam is far from eco-friendly. It may break down in high temperatures, but it pollutes our earth with alarming volumes of microplastics, affecting animals and humans alike. You can recycle only some forms of Polystyrene, but it’s incredibly costly. Most local recycling plants aren’t equipped with the right machinery. On top of that, recycled Styrofoam can’t be used again in the foodservice industry, defeating the whole purpose of recycling in the first place. To make matters worse, Styrofoam is made from nonrenewable fossil fuels and synthetic chemicals, all of which contribute to pollution.

Top Five Styrofoam Alternatives

1. Cruz Foam

Pros

Cruz Foam offers an earth-friendly plastic alternative to Styrofoam. The foam is created with naturally-sourced biopolymers. Unlike the synthetic chemicals used in Styrofoam production, biopolymers are sourced from nature while having the same technical properties. The foam is certified compostable, producing bio-benign organic waste with the stamp of approval from USDA Bio-based Preferred. Cruz Foam offers natural solutions to meet similar technical specifications to legacy materials, offering scalable solutions to various industries. Better yet, Cruz Foam utilizes existing manufacturing equipment and personnel, making the transition seamless on all fronts and creating new green jobs.

Cons

Cruz Foam takes approximately 4 months to fully compost in an industrial compost setting. Although this seems like a lengthy bit of time, it’s a far cry from many other alternatives or Styrofoam itself, which takes hundreds of years. Plus, Cruz Foam has yielded a 97.9% average biodegradation in soil lab testing, with zero adverse effects on compost quality and produces high-quality fertilizer.

2. PLA Lined Paper

Pros

Polylactic Acid (PLA) lined paper is an excellent sustainable alternative to Styrofoam food packaging. It’s a plant-based resin made from corn starch used to create compostable containers and liners for cups or packaging to avoid water damage. It’s a solution for hot and cold products, withstanding temperatures between 32 and 185℉, and you can use it in the microwave or the oven.

Cons

PLA lined paper has poor heat transfer. Unlike a Styrofoam cup which protects your hands from burning, a PLA lined paper cup gets hot, making it difficult to touch without a layer of protection.

3. Edible Packing Peanuts

What color is yellow and white mixed?

Tints usually look like lighter, paler versions of the color that white is mixed with. Combining white and yellow is a similar situation. Mixing...

Last updated Dec 5, 2018

Will lumber prices collapse?

Experts expect lumber prices to decline gradually over the next few months. As the prices stabilize, they should land between $450 and $600 per...

Last updated Aug 22, 2018

Can I build my own shed?

Yes, with the right plans you can build your dream shed.

Learn More »

Promotion

Pros

While they may not be as tasty as natural peanuts, you can replace Styrofoam packing peanuts with compostable ones made from corn, grain sorghum, and other crops like wheat. They dissolve in water, and you can throw them onto your compost piles after a single-use, leaving zero harmful traces behind. Plus, they have no electrostatic charge meaning they won’t stick to your clothing.

Cons

Compostable packing peanuts are heavier than traditional Styrofoam peanuts, meaning there’s an inevitable increase in shipping costs. It’s also more expensive to produce with crops like corn taking up space that could have otherwise been used for food production. In a challenging economy, it’s a tricky alternative.

4. Plantable Packaging

Pros

Plantable packaging incorporates seeds allowing consumers to bury the packaging in the soil. Utilizing new technology, it’s a 100% compostable and plantable product. While it disintegrates, flowers and herbs flourish! All you have to do as a consumer is soak the box in water and then bury it one inch below the surface.

Cons

Plantable packaging can’t withstand water, making it an inappropriate foodservice solution. There’s certainly room for it in product packaging, but there are limits when it comes to sizing.

5. Mineral Filled Polypropylene

Pros

Mineral filled polypropylene products (MFFP) contain 50% less plastic than standard polypropylene products, drastically reducing the amount of plastic required. Instead of plastic, it’s made with mineral content. It’s a great solution for hot and cold foods, and it’s microwaveable, with a temperature tolerance of 240℉.

Cons

While it reduces the total volume of plastic, it doesn’t eliminate it. That’s where it falls short as a long-term solution. On top of that, you can’t recycle it, making it a mediocre alternative.

Start Using Alternatives Today!

Styrofoam products are the easy way out. They may be cheaper or lighter, but their overarching impact on the environment is monumental. That’s where the quest for an appropriate alternative becomes a priority. Use this list to kickstart a change that makes a global impact.

Written by Maya Jensen

cruzfoam.com - Top 5 Styrofoam Alternatives And Their Pros and Cons - Cruz Foam

What is the downside to foam insulation?

On the downside, spray foam insulation comes at a price that is considerably more expensive than fiberglass. Often times, spray foam is triple the...

Last updated May 8, 2019

How do you landscape around a shed?

5 Creative Landscaping Ideas For Sheds Create a beautiful walkway to your shed. The first thing that you can do is create a lovely-looking walkway...

Last updated May 7, 2018

These are the Best Shed Plans!

Comprehensive and Intuitive to follow. Build That Shed!

Learn More »

Promotion

Can you make money chainsaw carving?

There are many chainsaw carvers earning more than one hundred thousand dollars a year. Dozens, if not hundreds, of carvers make more than fifty...

Last updated Mar 12, 2022

Promotion

What is the average cost for a 10x20 shed?

What is the average price of a 10×20 shed? The base price for a 10×20 wooden and metal shed is $4,792 and the starting price for a 10×20 vinyl shed...

Last updated Jul 25, 2019