What happens to Styrofoam in landfill?

In a landfill, Styrofoam (expanded polystyrene or EPS) doesn't decompose easily, taking hundreds of years to break down, accumulating as bulky waste, and eventually breaking into microplastics that pollute soil and water. Because it's lightweight and mostly air, it can easily escape landfills and become litter, harming wildlife and ecosystems, while potentially leaching chemicals like styrene into the environment.

What happens to styrofoam in landfills?

Non-Biodegradable

According to Washington University, Styrofoam takes 500 years to decompose; it cannot be recycled, so the Styrofoam cups dumped in landfills are there to stay. With enough Styrofoam cups produced each day to circle the earth if lined up end to end, the potential for major ecological impact is great.

Does the landfill take styrofoam?

Styrofoam is mostly air, so it occupies a lot of space in landfills. However, it doesn't weigh much for recycling. That's why most landfills and waste haulers reject it or charge a premium to handle it.

Can I put styrofoam in general waste?

Polystyrene should be placed in your red general waste bin. Polystyrene is a type of plastic that is commonly used in packaging materials. Styrofoam is a commercial brand of polystyrene.

What's the best way to dispose of styrofoam?

The best way to dispose of styrofoam is usually by placing it in your regular trash, as most curbside recycling doesn't accept it, but always check local rules first. For reuse, clean packing peanuts can go to shipping stores (like UPS/FedEx), while large blocks can sometimes be donated or mailed to specialized recyclers found via the EPS-IA recycling map. If trashing, compact it to save space and keep it clean. 

How Long Does Styrofoam Take To Decompose In A Landfill? - CountyOffice.org

What can I do with large pieces of styrofoam?

You can reuse large styrofoam pieces for insulation, garden drainage, pool floats, art bases, or even create a DIY glue by dissolving it in acetone/paint thinner; if reusing isn't an option, find local drop-off recycling centers that accept #6 foam, as it's often not curbside recyclable. 

Can styrofoam go in general waste?

This means that in most cases, Styrofoam ends up in general waste bins, destined for landfill or incineration. Some councils may accept clean polystyrene packaging at dedicated recycling centres, so it is always worth checking with your local authority before throwing it away.

Do I put styrofoam in recycling or garbage?

Please separate multi-coloured styrofoam from white foam and take it to a Recycling Centre to ensure that this material is properly handled and recycled. Pink or blue sheets of styrofoam insulation are not accepted. Please place styrofoam packing peanuts in the garbage.

How long does it take styrofoam to decompose?

Styrofoam (expanded polystyrene) takes an extremely long time to decompose, often cited as over 500 years, because it's non-biodegradable and breaks down very slowly, eventually turning into harmful microplastics that pollute the environment, though sunlight can speed up its physical breakdown into smaller pieces. 

Why is styrofoam recycling so difficult?

It's hard to prepare polystyrene foam for recycling.

Polystyrene foam is commonly used to hold food and beverages, and due to the porous and flimsy nature of the material, it's hard to clean it enough to be recycled. It's also not great for reuse, since the porous material can also harbor bacteria.

Will Home Depot take my styrofoam?

You may know about our in-store customer takeback recycling services for rechargeable batteries, compact fluorescent light bulbs and plastic bags, but there's more to our recycling story. Learn how we are recycling metal, hard plastics, and expanded polystyrene foam along with plastic film and cardboard.

Is it better to burn styrofoam or throw it away?

It's much better to throw styrofoam in the regular trash or find a specialized recycler than to burn it, because burning styrofoam releases highly toxic chemicals like styrene (a possible carcinogen), carbon monoxide, dioxins, and furans, creating severe air pollution and serious health risks, even though it's difficult to recycle and often ends up in landfills. 

What item takes the longest to decompose in a landfill?

Top 10: What are the longest lasting landfill items?

1. Glass bottles. Time to break down: one million years.
2. Plastic bags. Time to break down: 200-500 years.
3. Aluminium cans. Time to break down: 80-200 years.
4. Rubber-soled shoes. Time to break down: 50-80 years.
5. Tin cans. ...
6. Clothing. ...
7. Plastic film* ...
8. Paper coffee cups.

Why is styrofoam illegal now?

Since January 1, 2025, polystyrene foam foodware has been illegal in California, thanks to SB 54 (Allen, 2022). The law aims to reduce the environmental impact of single-use plastic packaging and foodware.

What happens to old styrofoam?

40% of all styrofoam produced is used for food storage. Styrofoam that sits in landfills releases methane gases that have over 20 times the ozone-destroying potency as CO2 emissions. Styrofoam breaks down into smaller particles that marine animals can easily mistake for food.

What takes 1000 years to decompose?

Plastic waste is one of many types of wastes that take too long to decompose. Normally, plastic items can take up to 1000 years to decompose in landfills.

Is styrofoam worse for the environment than plastic?

Both Styrofoam (expanded polystyrene) and traditional plastics are harmful, but Styrofoam often edges out as worse due to its difficulty to recycle, tendency to break into persistent microplastics that wildlife eat, and long decomposition time (500+ years), while many common plastics (like PET) are more easily recycled, though both ultimately create microplastic pollution. While Styrofoam production uses less energy/material for single-use, its poor recyclability makes it a major environmental burden compared to some plastics that can be reused or recycled effectively. 

What do you do with old styrofoam?

Donate it.

The Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers (AFPR) has a list of centers that will accept your excess EPS via mail.

What bin should styrofoam go in?

Polystyrene can't be recycled. Try and avoid buying food and drink which comes in polystyrene. If you can't, put the containers in your rubbish bin.

What's the best way to get rid of styrofoam?

The best way to get rid of styrofoam is often the trash, as most curbside programs don't accept it, but always check local guidelines first for specialized drop-offs; if you have a lot, compact it, find dedicated recyclers (like Earth911), offer it for reuse (doghouses, insulation), or consider chemical dissolution for volume reduction, though this requires care.
 

What happens if I put polystyrene in the wrong bin?

Can I put polystyrene in my curbside recycling bin? No, you should not put polystyrene in your kerbside recycling bin as it will not be processed and will likely end up in landfill.

Can you put styrofoam into a recycling bin?

Most curbside recycling collections do not accept styrofoam due to its bulky nature, contamination risks, and the difficulty of recycling it. However, some specialised recycling centres may accept clean, industrial-sized pieces of styrofoam, particularly from businesses.

Does Home Depot take styrofoam for recycling?

“Between the MDOs and RLCs, we now recycle not only metal, hard plastics and shrink wrap,” says Lindsey. “But we are now recycling Styrofoam packaging and the CFCs from reclaimed appliances.” Lindsey remains impressed by the company's efforts to try new ideas in efforts to become more sustainable.

Can styrofoam be thrown out with cardboard?

No Styrofoam

Styrofoam can be great for reuse but not for recycling. Dispose of these items in your trash.