Where should you throw away polystyrene? The mistake to avoid when recycling.

You find it everywhere, so much so that you may not even realize you're using it. As packaging for new appliances, as a wrapper for your takeout sandwich, as a container for various foods, and even in the walls of old houses. But it can also be the material used to make your disposable razor and CD cases. Polystyrene is a very common material in our daily lives, thanks to its practicality, lightness, and safety, but it's certainly not friendly to the planet if not disposed of properly. Essentially, polystyrene is a thermoplastic polymer composed of various internal elements; the main one, called styrene, is derived from petroleum.

However, its disposal often leaves room for doubt, since not all types of polystyrene are the same and not all municipalities dispose of waste in the same way. What is certain is that polystyrene, not being biodegradable, could persist in the environment for centuries. Therefore, it's important to ensure you dispose of it properly, thus reducing its (and therefore your) impact. At this point, it's natural to wonder whether polystyrene is recyclable and where it should be disposed of in the separate waste collection once it's no longer useful. Let's explore this together.