Polystyrene

Polystyrene is a very widespread plastic. It is a strong, hard and organic solvent soluble plastic. It insulates well thermally and acoustically, and is easy to colour. Polystyrene is used to make kitchen utensils - such as bowls and graters, toys, etc. Lightweight (foam) polystyrene is used as a packaging material and as a heat and sound insulator.

After use, polystyrene is difficult to dispose of without causing environmental problems.

Polystyrene is made by polymerising styrene. It is a thermoplastic, which means that it does not retain its original shape when the temperature is raised. It can be produced in powder, foam or bead form as required. The products are impact-resistant, transparent in colour, can be glued and polished. A large amount of smoke is produced when burning.