Styrofoam -how To Properly Dispose Of It?

[joesamui]

We've managed to greatly reduce the amount of styrofoam boxes that our suppliers use to send us seafood and the like, but there are still a few who use foam boxes. We sell the intact boxes to Wongpanit, but no one seems to want to handle broken foam boxes or the foam inserts that some of our suppliers use. Tessabaan collectors have even left the bags of foam behind -I suppose because they don't want them to take up precious space in their truck.

Anyone have any leads on who might help us dispose of these foam bits properly?

[goldfinger]

i think, actually there are no recycling companys for styrofoam around.

[PoorSucker]

My father in-laws wife gives it to the chicken that eats it.

[Trickcyclist]

'..styrofoam, a commercial name is technically called EPS or expanded polysterene, it's material is made from BENZENE, a known carcinogen. The chemicals that is used to produce foam in it was one time CFC, but having bad effect on the ozone layer, the HCFC is then used, although 95 % less harmful than the former, it still destroys the ozone layer. The consequences would be more ultraviolet rays entering the earth's atmosphere thus destroying many microorganism that gravely decrease crop yields and marine life...' and chickens, presumably!

[mattcodes]

I think the Thai way is just start a fire near the road. Any old crap welcome. Extra points the more carcinogen it is.

Could you use them as a form of cooling insulation?

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

Take it to a plant nursery. They can break it up and put it in the bottom of pots so they don't need as much potting mix. Works especially well for orchids, as they don't like it to wet.

[joesamui]

The plant nursery idea is an interesting one. I'll see if there's any interest. Thanks

[MattCinderey]

Acetone dissolves styro-foam... I remember doing this as an experiment when I was young (I was trying to make platique...) but I don't know what horrible mess you're left over with...

Cut it in to strips and line your loft with it, it'll make good insulation for air-con rooms. Or the plant nursery is a cool idea. That stuff is nasty!

Matt.

[joesamui]

Actually we tried the acetone melting idea last week and the result was a ghastly toxic block -much smaller than the original pile of foam, but I don't think we'll be doing that again.

[MattCinderey]

Go to the chemist and get some nail polish remover... Pour in on and you'll be surprised... It dissolves... Literally! The question is what do you do with the left over crap?

It funny here. I was talking to my friend who runs a garage. People actually come round and collect his used oil! What the hel_l the do with it...!?....

Matt.

[samuijimmy]

Every time I have put Styrofoam in my recycle bin it always goes, so there must be a place that takes it??? I wonder about the place in Ban Tai, on the left side heading toward Nanthon?

I can see large amounts of it could be a problem for being picked up though...

I never have large amounts, it does go though. But I had thought the idea of putting in the attic would be a good one, too, for insulation...

Right now I have two cats that seem to have made a home up there... had parts of the roof off twice now, since in an area not accessible.... thought we plugged the holes too... but the blessed things still get in Mama and kitten.. can't imagine how they stand the heat... I wish they would leave the electric wiring alone!

The problem I see with putting it in flower pots, is that sooner or later, it's going to get dumped out... and then where does it go? I suppose it puts off the disposal a few years, since it won't break down... (or hides it, in the ground) the other problem it does not absorb water, if it did, perhaps not such a bad idea...

As for the oil, I have been watching my Thai neighbours building a "new" house... they seem to use oil and or diesel as a wood preservative, as it is "cheap" / free ... they just cannot afford to buy wood preservative. So that may answer part the question Matt.

Although one day, a few months ago, I saw a huge amount of oil dumped on a landfill site, close to the Maenam Temple... on Soi 4, right next to the river, too ... I sure would not want to build a house there! It was covered up in a day or two...

Edited April 20, 2010 by samuijimmy