Arctic Illusion
Icebergs in Sai Kung
When Explore first saw the item in this picture at To Kwa Peng, we thought: WOW – an iceberg in Sai Kung!
A couple of weeks later, up close in the mangroves, we realized it would never melt – it was just ugly polystyrene litter. With rope tied around it, we guess it may have been a buoy or a marker that bobbed on the surface at some time.
Basically, polystyrene plastic foam (commonly called by its Dow Chemical name of styrofoam) is said to have an indefinite lifespan, though some sources suggest that a polystyrene cup would take at least 500 years to degrade. How long would this lump take then?
Polystyrene is a mix of styrene (a clear oily liquid extracted from petroleum) and benzene (also known as coal tar) with ethylene oxide (a colourless hydrochlorofluorocarbon gas used mainly as a refrigerant) blown into this mixture to add tiny gas and air-filled pockets to give it its typical lightweight structure. Companies that make polystyrene are full of praise for its durability and resistance to degradation by the elements, digestion by animals and bugs, and destruction due to heat and cold.
As you can see though, this slab of polystyrene is no longer as solid as it once was. Over time, sunlight does break it down into smaller and smaller "pelagic plastics". And where do those little pieces go? They float on the seas and due to their size, marine creatures and sea birds think they are food and eat them, filling their up stomachs but eventually starving to death.
Makes you think twice about that drink or lunch you're taking away, doesn't it? It's going to survive a lot longer than the 10 minutes you use it.