Ban needed on polystyrene foam

As summer approaches and Illinoisans come out to our beautiful lakes, parks and downtowns, there’s one thing no one wants to see lying around: polystyrene foam. From takeout containers to coffee cups, this single-use brittle pollutant is everywhere, and because it takes 500 years to decompose, it’s not leaving any time soon.

As a Northwestern environmental science student, I’ve spent three years studying the impacts of plastics on our ecosystems and observing them firsthand on my favorite beaches and trails. Since polystyrene is mostly not recyclable, takeout containers tend to pile up around campuses and along city streets. When this happens, the foam breaks down into tiny toxic pieces and leeches harmful chemicals into our environment and wildlife.

The CDC reported that styrene, the building block of polystyrene, is likely a carcinogen, and is known to damage your liver and nervous system. This probably won’t impact the everyday consumer, but manufacturers are affected, and would be better off with decreases in demand. There are also potential risks of toxic substances entering your food upon microwaving polystyrene, meaning we should definitely ban it from foodware.

The next step is getting a ban taken up by the state House of Representatives. Once they pass it, it can go to the Senate and finally to Gov. Pritzker’s desk where it becomes official. Over a dozen states have enacted similar bans, so call your local representative and tell them that we don’t want foam in our food or our future.

Carleigh O’Marra

Evanston