Uses For Styrofoam

I can't say "At Least 10" because I'm having a killer of a time finding uses other than original for the stuff! How bad is that?!

From ThriftyFun.com

I save and re-use the styrofoam meat trays for holding a lot of my homemade candy, cookies and goodies, as gifts. Also great for Bake Sales.I wash the trays in hot water, to which it have added a SMALL amount of Clorox and dish soap.Rinse thoroughly and let air dry for a day. Store in large plastic bag securely closed, until needed for use. Re-rinse and dry before use.I wrap the tray entirely with aluminum foil. Arrange the homemade goodies on them. Wrap the entire package with plastic wrap.Cut a pretty picture from greeting card, scotch tape it to top, add a bow and gift tag.Makes a very pretty, sturdy, free tray for your home made gifts.By Gladys Hill

Post By seeyude (Guest Post) (10/31/2004)
I wash the (meat) trays and use them for drying flower seeds, as saucers for small potted plants ( and large), as trays, and for drying herbs.

Post By jeangnme46 (Guest Post) (11/02/2004)
I have a friend that paints alot. She uses the meat trays as her palette.

Post by LizCar (08/23/2005)
I stapled foam trays to the inside of our dog's house one winter. It was sooo warm! He was full-grown, so he didn't chew on them. BTW, then I stapled overlapping denim squares to the inside of the doorway, and heavy plastic to the outside to keep out rain and snow. He loved it!

Post By chris21 (Guest Post) (07/18/2006)
Here are a few links. A lot of places will recycle styrofoam peanuts but it is more difficult to find somewhere that will recycle the large pieces. I would check with the disposal company or county waste division about what to do with the styrofoam and if there is anywhere that takes it for recycling. You don't mention where the company is located so I can't really help more.http://www.oregonlink.com/recycle/plastic_peanuts.html
http://www.plasticsusa.com/cgi-bin/forums/gen/945.html
http://greenyes.grrn.org/2004/02/msg00035.html

From Readers Digest - rd.com

Keep nail polish nice
When applying nail polish, a foam pellet or a small chunk cut from a block of foam packaging placed between each finger or toe will help spread them apart and keep the polish unblemished until it can dry.

Make your own shipping pellets
You'd like to use foam to ship some fragile things, but all you've got is sheets or blocks of foam, not pellets. No problem. Just break up what you have into pieces small enough to fit in a blender and pulse it on and off to shred the foam into perfect packing material.

Hold treats for freezing and serving
To prepare a quantity of snow cones or ice-cream cones in advance, cut a foam block to size so it will fit flat in your freezer. Cut holes just large enough and close enough to hold cones so they won't touch, fall over, or poke through the bottom. Fill the cones and slip them into the waiting holes. Then pop the whole thing into the freezer ready for serving at a moment's notice.

Make a buoyant tray for the pool
Styrofoam is nearly unsinkable. Use the scraps from a construction project to make a drink holder or tray that will float in your pool:
To make a soda-can holder, cut two pieces to the size you want the finished holder to be, then cut holes the same size as a soda can in one piece. Glue the piece with holes on top of the other piece, using a glue gun with hot-melt glue.

To make a tray with a rim, just glue small strips of foam that are at least 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) high around the edge of a larger tray-size section of the material.

Make a kickboard
A sharp kitchen knife is all you need to cut a scrap of Styrofoam insulation into a kickboard for your swimming pool.

Help shrubs withstand winter
Sometimes shrubs need a little help to survive winter's ravages. Leftover sheets of extruded tongue-and-groove Styrofoam insulation are perfect for the job. They're rigid, waterproof, and block wind and road salt. Here are two ways to use the material:
To give moderate protection, cut two Styrofoam sheets and lash them together to form a pup tent over the plant. To hold the pieces in place, drive bamboo garden stakes through the bottom of each piece into the ground.

For something more substantial, fit pieces together to box in the plants on four sides. Put a stake inside each corner and join the pieces with duct or packing tape.
Plants in containers that overwinter outdoors are more likely to survive with Styrofoam protection too.

Recycling - Shipping it to recycler...
Expanded Polystyrene Shape Molded Packaging
Expanded polystyrene can be mailed via U.S. Postal Service or other carrier to:
Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers1298 Cronson Boulevard, Suite 201Crofton, MD 21114 USA
Shipping fees typically range from $1.50-$9.00 depending on the size of the package.
Make sure the expanded polystyrene is clean and free of any plastic film, loose parts or glued-on cardboard.
To increase the amount of expanded polystyrene in each shipping container, it can be broken or cut into smaller pieces so that more foam can fit in individual boxes.
Alliance of Foam Packaging does not accept extruded polystyrene foam including meat trays, cups, egg cartons or other disposable foodservice items for recycling.
Expanded polystyrene can be identified by the number 6 plastic resin identification code. Many types of foam plastic are not clearly marked; if you have questions please contact Alliance of Foam Packaging at (410) 451-8340.

Recycling Centers

For NY:
NEW YORK
K&B Plastics, Inc., Blodgett Mills 607-756-7732
Gianco Environmental Services, Brentwood 631-952-9900
Thermal Foams, Inc., Buffalo 716-874-6474
JCS Distribution, Central Valley 845-928-8338
Shelter Enterprises, Cohoes 518-237-4100
River Trading International, NYC 212-385-9203
NY Waste Recovery, Plattsburgh 802-860-4922
Enstar Corp., Troy 518-279-4311
Armstrong Brands, Inc., West Seneca 716-677-2900
ICS Plastics, Inc. Williamsville 716-631-0037

Using Orange Peels to deconstruct Polystyrene