Burning Styrofoam presents a significant safety hazard due to the toxic compounds released during thermal decomposition. Burning waste, such as expanded polystyrene (EPS), in a campfire or open-air barrel creates dangerous air pollution. This material must never be incinerated outside of specialized, high-temperature industrial settings. The process generates a complex mixture of gases and fine particulate matter that poses immediate and long-term risks to human health and the environment.
The Material’s Makeup
Expanded Polystyrene (EPS), commonly known by the brand name Styrofoam, is a plastic foam material with a unique physical structure. The material is approximately 95% to 98% trapped air, with only a small fraction of its mass being the solid plastic polymer, polystyrene. This polymer is a petroleum-based hydrocarbon, composed of long chains of styrene monomers.
The high air content makes EPS highly flammable. When the polymer burns, its high carbon content and aromatic structure are responsible for the thick, black smoke characteristic of burning plastics. This composition primes the material for incomplete and inefficient burning in typical open-air fire conditions.
The Immediate Chemical Reaction
When EPS is exposed to heat, it undergoes thermal degradation or pyrolysis rather than combusting cleanly like wood or paper. The solid foam rapidly begins to melt and shrink at relatively low temperatures, often around 200°C, releasing flammable gases. This physical breakdown involves the polymer chains fracturing back into smaller molecular components.
In the low-oxygen environment of an open fire, this thermal breakdown leads to incomplete combustion. The resulting fire is smoky and difficult to sustain cleanly, creating a large volume of thick, oily, black soot. This visible soot is composed of fine particulate matter and complex hydrocarbon compounds, which are direct evidence of the hazardous burning process.
Hazardous Air Emissions
The smoke produced from burning polystyrene is a complex cocktail of toxic substances. The most concerning release is the styrene monomer itself, the building block of the polymer, which is a known hazardous substance and a probable human carcinogen. Exposure to this chemical has been linked to increased risk for certain cancers.
Burning also generates large quantities of Carbon Monoxide (CO), an odorless and colorless gas. CO directly interferes with the blood’s ability to carry oxygen, leading to rapid suffocation. In addition, the combustion creates Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), a group of compounds that are also carcinogenic.
Other highly toxic chemicals, such as Benzene, can be released when polystyrene is burned at lower, uncontrolled temperatures. The hazardous byproducts, including nitrogen oxides and various volatile organic compounds, make the smoke from burning EPS uniquely dangerous.
Acute Health Consequences
Inhaling the smoke from burning Styrofoam causes immediate and severe health effects due to the concentration of toxic gases and fine particles. The high level of particulate matter in the black soot immediately irritates the respiratory system, leading to persistent coughing, shortness of breath, and a tightening sensation in the chest. This soot can penetrate deep into the lungs, reducing respiratory function.
Exposure to the released styrene monomer and Carbon Monoxide causes systemic symptoms affecting the nervous system. These acute effects include dizziness, nausea, headache, and fatigue, which are common signs of mild CO poisoning. Higher exposure levels can quickly lead to confusion and a loss of consciousness.
Other common symptoms include irritation of the eyes and skin from the volatile organic compounds in the smoke. Prolonged or high-concentration exposure to these emissions can lead to organ dysfunction and neurological damage.
Safe Disposal Alternatives
Because burning is unsafe and illegal in many jurisdictions, responsible management of expanded polystyrene requires alternative methods. Check local municipal guidelines, as many curbside recycling programs do not accept EPS due to its low density and high potential for contamination. Contamination from food residue or dirt makes the material unrecyclable through standard processes.
Specialized drop-off centers and mail-back programs are often the best options for clean, bulky foam. These facilities have the equipment to densify the material, making it economically viable to transport and process into new products. Alternatively, clean foam can be reused, such as donating packing peanuts to local shipping stores.
The market offers various sustainable alternatives made from materials like cornstarch, paper fiber, and compostable bioplastics. Opting for these alternatives is the most effective way to eliminate the need for EPS disposal entirely.