Living Green: The Missing Manual

So Hard to Say Goodbye: Special Problems in Recycling

If you think breaking up is hard to do in relationships, just wait till you try to get rid of some of the items covered in this section. All of them can be recycled, but issues like cost, difficulty, or bulk may make your local recycling center say, "Thanks but no thanks" when you try to drop them off. Don't despair: This section tells you how to do the right thing and recycle these hard-to-get-rid-of items.

Polystyrene Foam

Polystyrene foam (what you probably call Styrofoam, which is a trademark owned by the Dow Chemical Company) is all around us—from hot-beverage cups and meat trays to insulation and packaging materials. This foam is mostly air, so while it's not heavy, it's really bulky. And because it doesn't biodegrade, it takes up lots of space in landfills and will be there pretty much forever.

Many curbside recycling programs don't take polystyrene foam. So what should you do with it? Here are some ideas:

• Reuse it. When you receive a box full of foam packing peanuts, don't throw them out. Reuse them when you mail stuff that needs cushioning, or offer them to a local company or mailing center, which may take them off your hands. Or use 'em in craft projects or donate them to a school or scout troop that can use them for such projects.

  Tip

  If you ship a lot of items, don't buy foam packing peanuts. Instead, try Puffy Stuff (http://puffystufftn.com), an all-natural, plant-based packaging material that's 100% biodegradable.

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