What percentage of litter is polystyrene packaging?
A 1988 study by the Institute for Applied Research shows that foam products represent less than 2% of litter. Many people advocate the use of “biodegradable” packaging so that if littered, a package will eventually disintegrate. Keep America Beautiful, Inc., however, stresses that biodegradability is not the answer to litter. Litter is a behavior problem caused by disrespect for the environment. Unfortunately, even litter tossed away with the thought “it is biodegradable” (like food wastes), degrades slowly and is unsightly.
