For the sake of public health and the environment, we implore the Boerne High School Administration to reconsider their usage of expanded polystyrene (EPS)- colloquially known as Styrofoam- trays in the school cafeteria.

Who is impacted by the issue and what is at stake?

1. PRODUCTION 
   • There are a number of health risks for those involved in polystyrene manufacturing.
     • A study from the National Institute of Health describes styrene as reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen. Styrene is the monomer from which polystyrene is derived, and is thus present in Styrofoam products.
     • A 2020 report from the US EPA found that acute (short-term) exposure to styrene in humans results in mucous membrane and eye irritation, and gastrointestinal effects. Chronic (long-term) exposure to styrene in humans results in effects on the central nervous system (CNS), such as headache, fatigue, weakness, and depression, CSN dysfunction, hearing loss, and peripheral neuropathy.
     • Additionally, OSHA has recognized the potential hazards within the styrene manufacturing industry and created several standards in response.
     • Hundreds of thousands of workers worldwide are vulnerable to these threats.
   • Styrofoam is a petrochemical plastic and a product of oil and gas.
     • According to a report by the Sierra Club, communities that live near petrochemical facilities, often called 'fence line communities' bear the burden of toxic emissions in their air, water, and environment.
     • Additionally, according to a report by Oceana, plastic foam production also contributes to climate change. In 2019, global plastic foam production created an estimated 48 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, the equivalent emissions of almost 13 coal-fired power plants.
2. USAGE
   • By eating food off styrofoam trays, students are potentially exposed to harmful chemicals.
     
     • A study from the National Institute of Health found that small amounts of styrene can leach from both solid and expanded polystyrene products, and does so at a more rapid rate when the product is in contact with a hot food or beverage. In Styrofoam and PS cups studies, hot water was found to be contaminated with styrene and other aromatic compounds.
3. DISPOSAL
   • Extensive Styrofoam production outpaces any sustainable disposal practices.
     • According to Oceana, more than 8 million metric tons, or over 17 billion pounds, of plastic foam are produced globally every year. In 2019, the United States collected more than 3 million metric tons of plastic foam waste. Worse, these numbers don't even take into account the waste that was exported to other countries, mismanaged, or ended up in the environment.
     • Their report also found that plastic foam fragments, cups, and plates are among the top 10 most littered items found across the U.S.
     • Washington University found that Styrofoam takes up 33% of landfills by volume.
   • Styrofoam pollution is extremely detrimental to the environment and wildlife.
     • According to Washington University, Styrofoam takes between 500-1,000 years to break down.
     • According to an Oceana report, plastic foam harms many marine animals- including those that are already at risk of extinction- mainly through ingestion.  Animals that consume larger pieces of plastic foam face a risk of intestinal blockage, injury, or death.
     • Additionally, because polystyrene foam floats, it can travel all across the world through waterways and harm animals all over the globe.
   • The process of recycling Styrofoam is expensive, difficult, and rarely available.
     • Oceana's report found that only 1% or less of plastic foam waste is recycled each year in the U.S.
     • It also found that hardly any U.S. communities collect single-use plastic foam as part of curbside recycling programs (this includes Boerne!). Its bulkiness makes it economically impractical to transport to recycling plants, and plastic foam foodware is often too contaminated with food to be recycled. Recycling plastic foam costs more than making the material from scratch, further contributing to its abysmally low recycling rate.

Why is now the time to act?

As our natural world is polluted, poisoned, overextended and threatened at devastating rates, it is incredibly imperative that we take action to protect it. Nature provides immeasurable value to our world in so, so many ways. For me, nature has played a key role in shaping my identity and growth; my passion and love for it from a young age inspired me to stand up for what I believe in and find hope in our ability to be sustainable stewards of the Earth.

State and local governments across the United States are taking action to tackle plastic foam. According to an Oceana report, as of the end of 2024, 12 states and more than 250 counties and cities had passed policies to curb single-use plastic foam — and the evidence shows that these policies are working. 

"After Washington, D.C. passed a single-use plastic foam ban in 2014, the Anacostia River that runs through the city saw a 50% reduction in plastic foam pollution following the first year the law was implemented. After five years, foam pollution fell by 88%. Similarly, Maryland’s Baltimore Inner Harbor saw an 80% reduction in foam pollution collected by a trash interceptor, following a statewide single-use foam foodware ban. After Charleston, South Carolina banned foam takeout boxes in 2018, the city saw a 20% decrease in this type of trash during beach clean-ups the following year."

Local actions include a generous parent donating hundreds of home-compostable paper plates to the Boerne High School Mighty Greyhound Band and Color Guard for their pre-performance meals, replacing the Styrofoam plates that were previously used.

The Boerne High School administration can sustain this momentum by opting for trays made of renewable materials like paper or sugarcane (also consider reusable trays) that prioritize public and environmental welfare, ultimately investing in a more sustainable future that aligns with the values of the school and community! Sierra Club's report includes a list of affordable alternatives, but BHS Environmental Club officers are also happy to assist with finding options specific to Boerne High School's needs.

According to the official BoerneISD webpage for the school, Boerne High School's mission is to educate and empower all students to excel academically with a strong sense of global and technological awareness, to guide students to develop into compassionate citizens with strong character, and to equip students with the skills to become lifelong learners.

We, the undersigned, believe our request exemplifies the school's mission, as it demonstrates global awareness of ongoing issues, compassion towards nature and those affected by the petrochemical industry, civic engagement in local concerns, strong character values such as responsibility, diligence, and integrity, and valuable learning skills regarding research, communication, organization, and problem-solving.

We sincerely hope you will consider our petition, and thank you gratefully for your time and consideration.

Sources

About Us. (2025). Boerne Independent School District. https://bhs.boerneisd.net/about-us

AFFORDABLE PACKAGING, BUT AT WHAT COST? (2020). Sierra Club. https://www.sierraclub.org/sites/www.sierraclub.org/files/sce-authors/u17452/Raising_Canes_Report.pdf

Ahmad, M., & Bajahlan, A. S. (2007). Leaching of styrene and other aromatic compounds in drinking water from PS bottles. Journal of Environmental Sciences (China), 19(4), 421–426. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1001-0742(07)60070-9

Colgate University. (2011, November 10). Styrofoam: Why it is harmful, and alternatives | Sustainability News. Colgate University. https://blogs.colgate.edu/sustainability/2011/11/10/styrofoam-why-it-is-harmful-alternatives/

Erman, E. (2011, April 29). More steps toward sustainability. Washington University. https://source.washu.edu/2011/04/more-steps-toward-sustainability/

McLean, J. (2025, July 2). The Issue with Plastic Foam. Oceana USA. https://usa.oceana.org/blog/the-issue-with-plastic-foam/

Meiffren-Swango, C. (2022, June 22). The problem with polystyrene foam. Environment Oregon. https://environmentamerica.org/oregon/articles/problem-polystyrene-foam/

National Toxicology Program (2021 Dec 21). 15th Report on Carcinogens. Research Triangle Park (NC): National Toxicology Program. Styrene: CAS No. 100-42-5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK590797/

Plastic Foam Needs “To Go”  (2025, April).  Oceana. https://usa.oceana.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2025/04/Foam-Report-Fact-Sheet_FINAL.pdf

Styrene (2020, May). Environmental Protection Agency. https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-05/documents/styrene_update_2a.pdf

Styrene - Standards. (2025). Occupational Safety and Health Administration. https://www.osha.gov/styrene/standards

Weekly Curbside Collection. (2025). City of Boerne Texas. https://www.ci.boerne.tx.us/2158/Weekly-Curbside-Collection