96% air, 'lifeless' polystyrene is both cheap and enviro-friendly

Polystyrene Packaging Council (PSPC) of South Africa director Adri Spangenberg says that once manufactured, it is easy to transport and less material needs to be recycled, adding that polystyrene can be recycled up to ten times, according to Cape Business News. "It arguably has the lowest carbon footprint thanks to its light weight. Only about 4% of expanded polystyrene foam packaging is polystyrene, the rest is air," Spangenberg notes.

Styrene, the monomer polystyrene is manufactured from, is not toxic but a natural product found in many foodstuffs including strawberries, beans, wine and coffee beans. Spangenberg told Cape Business News that polystyrene packaging can come directly into contact with food as it is "completely lifeless and meets all the prevailing international health standards."

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