I have to rant here as I hope it will do some good....styro popcorn! When I finally make it to the White House, my first official act will be to imprison anyone using styro popcorn as packaging stuffing with a term of no less than 50 years with no possibility of parole!!
I am sick of chasing this stuff around the house everytime I open a package stuffed with this junk. In reality, I have found that it pales as far as protection to heavy bubble wrap.
My two bucks.......
HZ
I agree!
MB Klein loves the stuff. I wind up with huge plastic bags full of it and no one wants it. I should send it back to Klein for re-use!
Peanuts are for elephants... Ed
Howard Zane In reality, I have found that it pales as far as protection to heavy bubble wrap.
In reality, I have found that it pales as far as protection to heavy bubble wrap.
It depends how the contents are packaged. I've seen bubble-wrap used pretty ineffectively, too.
Since I don't receive a lot of packages in the mail over a year's time, some packing peanuts don't bother me too much. If I need to return something or send something to someone, I just re-use the peanuts that I already have in my possession. Makes for economical packing filler and a recycling option for things already at hand.
And here's your $1.98 in return...
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
The local mailing place gladly accepts all packing peanuts, bubble wrap, and other such material. I assume they re-use or have a recycling deal. But even that does not prevent the mess in the house when something comes wrapped in packing peanuts.
Some of us are old enough to remember when actual real popcorn was used for packaging, a practice which reputedly made warehouse rats VERY happy.
Dave Nelson
dknelson The local mailing place gladly accepts all packing peanuts, bubble wrap, and other such material. I assume they re-use or have a recycling deal. But even that does not prevent the mess in the house when something comes wrapped in packing peanuts. Some of us are old enough to remember when actual real popcorn was used for packaging, a practice which reputedly made warehouse rats VERY happy. Dave Nelson
And then someone got the idea that the real popcorn should be infused with a generous portion of rat poison .
Fortunately that was stopped before it overwhelmed emergency rooms with a bunch of poisoned popcorn addicts of all ages.
I'll second turning over your peanuts to the local UPS store. Mine even took the box they came in - from which I had stripped all the labels.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
My LHS loves to see me coming with a bag of the stuff. Also takes any other type of packing material.
When I was overseas mother used to pack whatever she sent in unbuttered popcorn. Packages usually came pretty fast and it made a good snack, since she didn't lace it wit with anything.
I will agree that if the stryro stuff gets loose it makes a mess fast.
Have fun,
Richard
Styro popcorn sucks.
Until you need it.
I shipped a ZW transformer across the country packed with popcorn. Successfully.
Should you not know, the ZW is ten pounds of bakelite encased steel with two delicate handles protruding.
That and similar situations excepted, use wadded up newspaper. Oh, yeah. "Newspaper" is that stuff that is thrown on your grandmother's sidewalk every morning. Or, if you're really old, your mother's.
Ed
Well, personally, I love the stuff and wish I could get more. Where I live my only source is Office Max/Depot and they want $37 for a small bag. That's just way too much. Bubble wrap is $17 for a small roll. I do a lot of packing and I save all the incoming stuff and reuse it as much as I can.
Yes, it can get messy and I usually have to chase a few loose kernals around the floor but unless you open the package like an excited 5 year old at Christmas it can be controlled with just a small amount of effort.
Roger Huber
Or you could use them on your layout...
http://mrr.trains.com/videos/expert-tips/2016/04/model-railroader-quick-tips-packing-peanut-hills
--Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editorsotte@kalmbach.com
I keep them in a plastic container or two for when I ship items. I keep the container under my platform for easy storage. I also found bubble wrap that was used to ship furniture pieces, never seen such heavy duty wrap but it is great for shipping any fragile item. I have two 35 gallon bags stuffed with that bubble wrap. Be glad that shippers use foam peanits, saves allot of damage.
OK, gotta put in my 25 cents.........
As I frequently sell on Ebay, I welcome the peanuts or air bags or bubble wrap and save them for "reuse". At one time I had to buy the stuff, and it cut into the income pretty good.
BTW, it beats the heck out of the old "excelsior" straw like stuff from decades ago.
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
They look a lot more like peanuts than popcorn so I call them styrofoam peanuts and am stuck in my ways.
I grew up in California and was recycling in the 1970's and noticed many other parts of the country didn't start doing that until late 80's or 1990's. It's been my habit to recycle many things and I do that with the styro peanuts.
I frequently get packages from MBK so I have a good supply of styrofoam peanuts and I save them and when I sell stuff, I never have to go out and buy shipping supplies. I just re-use boxes and peanuts MBK ships me!
Sure, at times they get loose, but since I'm a tight wad I am happy to have them for free to reuse. I'm not as old and grumpy as the OP yet so I don't need to moan about it.
I do get bubble wrap too and save and use it too. Bubble wrap seems to be THE choice used by ExactRail so I recycle that stuff too. About the only thing I have to buy occasionally to ship stuff is packaging tape.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
They go straight into the recycle bin.
Thank you Steven for the reminder. I have a spot to do a backfill, where I was going to use wadded up paper, but the styrofoam is a much better idea as it will not retain the moisture from the plaster.
Long after humans are extinct and insects too, Styrofoam will still be here. You would do the world a service to get rid of Styrofoam peanuts. As for me, I try to keep mine in bags until I send them off to someone else.
I believe the styrofoam will hurt my dog if he ingests them so i have to be careful when opening stuff.
Joe Staten Island West
They make a good fire starter in the wood stove----saves on having to cut kindleing
herrinchoker
Mostly it is styrofoam, but some of the peanuts are made of corn starch. They feel and work the same as styro, but put them in water and they instantly melt into corn starch goo. Environmentally benign. Of course that does nothing for you when someone sends you styro.
In my business I received lots of packages, often with peanuts. I saved it for my own reuse, but got more than I needed. I saved big bags of it. Ther is a retailer nearby who ships a lot, and they gladly accept my surplus, the stuff is expensive to buy. Any commercial enterprise that ships a lot of packages would probably like to have your surplus. All it takes is one near you.
I am also fortunate that my city has a styrofoam cup and container factory, and they recycle ALL styrofoam. A 24 hour litle drop-off shed is accessible. SO my peanuts can go there if I want, along with the trays from meat and veggies, egg cartons, fast food, etc. More and more general recyclers accept styro these days.
stuckinthe50s Thank you Steven for the reminder. I have a spot to do a backfill, where I was going to use wadded up paper, but the styrofoam is a much better idea as it will not retain the moisture from the plaster.
I put the wadded up paper or packing peanuts in those little plastic bags in which you get your groceries packed. Wet plaster never touches the contents.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
gmpullman I agree! MB Klein loves the stuff. I wind up with huge plastic bags full of it and no one wants it. I should send it back to Klein for re-use! Peanuts are for elephants... Ed
Rich
Alton Junction
LION likes the air filled bags. The make a nice loud BANG when you pop them. It has gotten sot that the cat does not even jump when I pop them.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
CGW121They go straight into the recycle bin.
My county recycles but specificly not styrofoam saying it also contaminates the recycle.
My neighbors haven't grasped that concept. Nor do they grasp the effects of wind on a lidless recycle can stuffed with styrofoam, newspapers and plastic bags.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
This is what inspired me to write this thread. I took a huge bag of this crap outside for the recylers who pick up once a week. Somehow some animal or a whatever ripped the bag apart and after several days, we are still picking up popcorn...never mind what escapes in the house when opening up a parcel. Perhaps 50 years imprisonment could be a bit harsh for users....25 years would suffice, still with no parole.
I have been known to place a sheet of the bags behind my wife's car wheels. Makes a nice noise when she backs out.