Styrofoam is one of the most popular packaging materials available in the market today. Ray Mclntire of the Dow Chemical Company discovered this material in the early 1940s. Styrofoam boxes made from foamed polystyrene soon gained huge popularity in the market because of its light weight and numerous usages. These boxes are generally white in colour and are made by injecting foam into a mold. Containers and boxes made from Styrofoam are usually used as takeout food containers from restaurants. Additionally these boxes are also used to ship food items like meat, frozen crabs, fish etc. They also last for a lifetime. Hence it is always sensible to reuse these boxes instead of buying new ones.
Styrofoam boxes are most popular among shipping companies since the packaging made from this material is extremely light weight and often considered to be the best option to protect fragile items during transportation. The amount of weight that this material has is extremely less and the staffs of the shipping companies find it extremely easier to handle and pack these containers and boxes very quickly. Also since these boxes can be reused, the shipping companies can avoid purchasing other costlier packaging materials each and every time a shipment goes out.
Moreover Styrofoam is an extremely cheap and budget friendly material which can be easily disposed of after one use. Reusing the containers is always recommended because this way we can protect the well being of our biosphere. From disposable coffee cups to cushioning and padding materials, the use of Styrofoam is versatile. In Australia, Omega Packaging is an ace company that offers the wide assortment of boxes made using Styrofoam.
These boxes are manufactured in different shapes and sizes thus making it easier to pack different items according to our requirement. The shipping companies often cut large boxes of Styrofoam and make small boxes from them to pack tiny materials in order to carefully handle the smaller items in transit. This material is also available in the market in the form of thick blocks, balls and even thin paper like sheets which can be cut and made into numerous shapes. This is also a popular item with arts and crafts experts as the sheets can be manipulated in many different ways.
Another great advantage of using Styrofoam is that it can absorb shock to a great extent. This material is also moisture and mould proof and hence it is used to insulate homes and buildings as well. Since it is not an expensive item many homeowners use it to keep the desirable temperature indoors while the unwanted temperature stays out. This material is highly advantageous since it prevents the transfer of heat and cold.
While boxes made from Styrofoam offer many advantages one cannot ignore the possible health hazards of using this material in daily life. People who deal with this material on a regular basis are found to suffer from irritation of the eye and skin, problems in the upper respiratory tract and also gastrointestinal issues. Other health hazards caused by too much usage of this material are depression, headache, lethargy, weakness, disrupted function of the kidneys, and ill effects on the nervous system.
Since we do not make much effort to reuse the containers and boxes made from Styrofoam, it has now become the main factor of marine debris. Manufacturing Styrofoam boxes also has negative impacts on the ozone layer thereby leading to global warming. Since this material is created from a non-sustainable resource it is thoroughly harmful for the environment and creates massive pollution.