STYROFOAM-WHITE POLLUTION

INTRODUCTION

STYROFOAM (EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE) IS USED FOR A LOT OF THINGS SUCH AS CUPS, PLATES, PACKING MATERIALS, INSULATIONS AND SOUNDPROOFING.  STYROFOAM IS MADE OF POLYSTYRENE- WHICH IS THE SAME MATERIAL PLASTIC IS MADE FROM. AIR IS INJECTED INTO THE POLYSTYRENE TO EXPAND ITS VOLUME BY 95% TO 98%.

IF STYROFOAM IS DISCARDED IN A LANDFILL SITE, IT DOES NOT BIODEGRADE OR DECOMPOSE AS IT IS INERT. STYROFOAM DOES NOT RELEASE ANDY CHEMICALS INTO THE ENVIRONMENT BUT IT STAYS IN THE LANDFILL FOREVER.

STYROFOAM CAN BE RECYCLED BUT IT HAS TO BE SHIPPED TO A RECYCLING PLANT. WE DO NOT RECYCLE STYROFOAM ON THE QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS BECAUSE IT TAKES UP TOO MUCH SPACE IN TRANSPORT VEHICLES AND THE COST OF RECYCLING DOES NOT COVER SHIPPING COSTS.

STYROFOAM CAN BE RECYCLED BUT IT HAS TO BE SHIPPED TO A RECYCLING PLANT. WE DO NOT RECYCLE STYROFOAM ON THE QUEEN CHARLOTTE ISLANDS BECAUSE IT TAKES UP TOO MUCH SPACE IN TRANSPORT VEHICLES AND THE COST OF RECYCLING DOES NOT COVER SHIPPING COSTS.

I SET UP AN EXPERIMENT TO SEE IF I COULD REDUCE THE VOLUME OF STYROFOAM BY REMOVING THE AIR. I ALSO WANTED TO SEE IF I COULD DEVELOP AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE SOLUTION FOR TAKING THE AIR OUT OF THE STYROFOAM.

I SET UP AN EXPERIMENT TO SEE IF STYROFOAM CHIPS COULD BE USED AS A DRAINAGE MEDIUM FOR PLANTS.

I ALSO SET UP AN EXPERIMENT MIXING CONCRETE WITH STYROFOAM BEADS IN DIFFERENT CONCENTRATIONS TO TEST STRENGTH AND INSULATION QUALITIES OF CONCRETE WITH STYROFOAM AGGREGATE.

I FOUND THAT I COULD REMOVE THE AIR FROM STYROFOAM WITH ACETONE. I REDUCED THE VOLUME OF THE STYROFOAM BY A RATIO OF 18:1. I FOUND THAT ACETONE IS A POTENTIALLY HARMFUL SUBSTANCE. I THEN TRIED TO PROCESS ORANGE OIL (D-LIMONENE) FROM ORANGE PEELS BUT FOUND THAT I NEED A DISTILLATION SETUP, AS I WAS NOT ABLE TO GET OIL IN GREAT ENOUGH CONCENTRATION BY BOILING. I TRIED VARIOUS CITRUS BASED CLEANERS AND SOLVENTS BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO GET ONE WITH SIGNIFICANT CONCENTRATIONS OF THE OIL. I WAS ABLE TO MOLD REDUCED STYROFOAM INTO RIDGED SHAPES.

I FOUND THAT STYROFOAM AS A PLANT DRAINAGE MEDIUM DID ALLOW PLANTS TO GROW BUT I CONCLUDED THAT WHEN THE SOIL WAS DISCARDED THAT THE STYROFOAM PELLETS WOULD END UP IN THE ENVIRONMENT. I AM LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF DISSOLVING THE PELLETS IN ORANGE OIL BEFORE DISCARDING THEM TO SEE HOW THE OIL WOULD AFFECT THE SOIL.

I FOUND THAT CONCRETE COULD BE MIXED WITH STYROFOAM BEADS UP TO 50%. I TESTED THE CONCRETE BLOCKS ON A HYDRAULIC PRESS AND FOUND THAT THE GREATER THE CONCENTRATION OF STYROFOAM-THE LESS STRENGTH WAS DISPLAYED BY THE BRICK.

I WILL NEED TO MAKE BIGGER BLOCKS AND MAKE TWO BOXES –ONE WITH 100% CONCRETE AND THE OTHER WITH A % OF STYROFOAM SO THAT I CAN TEST FOR INSULATION PROPERTIES OF STYROFOAM MIX VS. CONCRETE.