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Why do companies choose styrofoam anyway? Is it cheapest? Should be illegal based solely on the sound it makes when it rubs together.

ssmoot 11y ago
Your car probably has it (behind the bumper cover). Helmets have it. Your home may have it. It's light, it insulates, it absorbs the energy of impact (once at least). I don't know if there are effective, inexpensive substitutes for those uses.
- freshyill 11y ago
  For some things, it's the best material. I don't think most reasonable people would say we should ban styrofoam when it's the best material in a safety application. For others, like food containers, it's almost purely for cost reasons when other solutions exist.
  - bdamm 11y ago
    Consider that if styrofoam cups were banned worldwide, then the cost of bicycle helmets would go down initially and then up later.
    - freshyill 11y ago
      That puts us one step closer to eliminating styrofoam in bicycle helmets. It may be that there are other very good or better materials that are currently too expensive, but whose prices could be brought down by widespread adoption.
      - ssmoot 11y ago
        I'd be surprised. It's used in motorcycle helmets as well and there's definitely a market for pretty pricey motorcycle helmets if you could claim they were better in any marginal way.
    - lostlogin 11y ago
      I've seen popcorn used instead of styrofoam for packing fragile thing nhsbfor ahipping. However the idea of putting a bucket of popcorn on my head to ride a bike doesn't seem that good.
- prolepunk 11y ago
  A complete idealist in me wishes that had we used appropriate material in the right places the world would have been much better place. Using styrofoam in helmets, car bumpers and refrigerators is a completely legitimate use case as it solves more problems than it creates, but using styrofoam in cups is just such a complete waste that only gives someone a tiny bit of convenience.
ethagnawl 11y ago
> Should be illegal based solely on the sound it makes when it rubs together. Lots of folks have been discussing, playing with (exploiting?), and researching [ASMR](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomous_sensory_meridian_response https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomous_sensory_meridian_re...) over the last few years. However, I've yet to see any discussion about the possibility of a connection between ASMR and [misophonia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misophonia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misophonia). I experience both (your comment caused me to shudder) and have a hunch that they form a duality or, if the distinction isn't that clear, are related.
- Rick-Butler 11y ago
  Thanks for the links, I too always shuddered at the sound (and thought). Never gave the "why" much consideration.

ssmoot 11y ago

Your car probably has it (behind the bumper cover). Helmets have it. Your home may have it. It's light, it insulates, it absorbs the energy of impact (once at least). I don't know if there are effective, inexpensive substitutes for those uses.

freshyill 11y ago
For some things, it's the best material. I don't think most reasonable people would say we should ban styrofoam when it's the best material in a safety application. For others, like food containers, it's almost purely for cost reasons when other solutions exist.
- bdamm 11y ago
  Consider that if styrofoam cups were banned worldwide, then the cost of bicycle helmets would go down initially and then up later.
  - freshyill 11y ago
    That puts us one step closer to eliminating styrofoam in bicycle helmets. It may be that there are other very good or better materials that are currently too expensive, but whose prices could be brought down by widespread adoption.
    - ssmoot 11y ago
      I'd be surprised. It's used in motorcycle helmets as well and there's definitely a market for pretty pricey motorcycle helmets if you could claim they were better in any marginal way.
  - lostlogin 11y ago
    I've seen popcorn used instead of styrofoam for packing fragile thing nhsbfor ahipping. However the idea of putting a bucket of popcorn on my head to ride a bike doesn't seem that good.
prolepunk 11y ago
A complete idealist in me wishes that had we used appropriate material in the right places the world would have been much better place. Using styrofoam in helmets, car bumpers and refrigerators is a completely legitimate use case as it solves more problems than it creates, but using styrofoam in cups is just such a complete waste that only gives someone a tiny bit of convenience.

ethagnawl 11y ago

> Should be illegal based solely on the sound it makes when it rubs together. Lots of folks have been discussing, playing with (exploiting?), and researching [ASMR](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomous_sensory_meridian_response https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autonomous_sensory_meridian_re...) over the last few years. However, I've yet to see any discussion about the possibility of a connection between ASMR and [misophonia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misophonia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misophonia). I experience both (your comment caused me to shudder) and have a hunch that they form a duality or, if the distinction isn't that clear, are related.

Rick-Butler 11y ago
Thanks for the links, I too always shuddered at the sound (and thought). Never gave the "why" much consideration.