“Polystyrene is a synthetic aromatic hydrocarbon polymer made from the monomer styrene. .....Polystyrene is slow to biodegrade..... It is increasingly abundant as a form of litter in the outdoor environment, particularly along shores and waterways, especially in its foam form, and also in increasing quantities in the Pacific Ocean.” (Wikipedia)

Why this material is legally still being used, I don’t understand, but hopefully we can make some changes in the near future to keep this from sitting around for the next 500+ years.

I spoke to the Logistics provider for this cooler and got this response:

“Thanks for bringing this to our attention. We looked into this, and we have actually had some engagement with [Food Manufacturer Company] (albeit without any success to date). According to the [Logistics Company] Worldwide Account Manager, [Food Manufacturer Company] coolers are being sold to residential consignees, and they handle the disposal, so they appear to have no interest (or control) beyond that point. They would need to make a decision to centralize and take back control of this process, and it sounds like our contacts don’t seem to have any interest in pursuing. “

“...happy to try to connect your contact at [Food Manufacturer Company] with the Worldwide Account Manager on the [Logistics Provider] side. I think they are happy to find a solution if the owners of the decision on the [Food Provider Company] side are aligned on having one. “

It sounds like we either need the “Food Manufacturer Company” to want to find a solution, or we need more Polystyrene recyclers spread out nation or worldwide. I think I’ve hit a dead end at this point since we don’t seem to have anyone who wants to find a solution due to the fact that there isn’t any money in the solution.

I’m putting a call out for more Polystyrene recyclers, and more education on recycling polystyrene. After being told 4-5 times to just put it in the trash, apparently, we need more recycling education shared with consumers, and more responsibility taken seriously by the Manufacturer, Waste Management providers, and Consumers.

If you are a Recycling Company, please contact me and share with me your thoughts on this issue: editor@rla.org

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Felecia Przybyla
Felecia Przybyla RL Magazine Editor Editor@rla.org