There was a time, not so long ago, that every fast-food meal came in a Styrofoam container. You don’t see them as often now because well, it’s an environmental hazard and it’s possibly not good for your health either. That doesn’t mean, however, that the use of Styrofoam has been completely eliminated and one question many people have about Styrofoam is, is it a fire hazard?
Styrofoam is flammable at higher temperatures and can catch fire. It will melt at 212 degrees Fahrenheit, ignite with a spark at 680 degrees Fahrenheit and auto-ignite at 800 degrees Fahrenheit.
Styrofoam can certainly be a fire hazard in the right conditions. Let’s find out more, shall we?
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Styrofoam is a trademark. It is used to refer to a particular form of extruded polystyrene foam (XPS), which is known as “Blue Board” and it’s owned by the Dow Chemical Company.
That’s because the word Styrofoam is used colloquially throughout North America (and much of the rest of the world to mean polystyrene foam (EPS) and it is from this that our coffee cups and fast-food containers are made.
It’s also used for insulation and for packing materials too. In fact, it’s very likely that you’ve received a parcel at some point full of small polystyrene chips that would also be called (incorrectly, of course) Styrofoam (packing peanuts).
To date, because it is incredibly cheap to produce polystyrene in all its forms, including both uses of Styrofoam, has been one of the most commonly used plastics in the world. Unfortunately, this is bad news for the environment as it is universally regarded as non-biodegradable and it can take thousands of years to decompose in landfills.
And even worse, animals don’t recognize polystyrene as something artificial and because it is often used to hold food or drinks – they can mistake it for actual food. Sadly, this isn’t without consequences for the animals involved and they can become very sick from eating large quantities of the plastic as it is mildly toxic.
Styrofoam is now banned in many places around the world for use in food and beverage containers, but it persists in many others, for now.
Whether or not these can be ignited by a flame or spark depends largely on the temperature, duration of exposure to heat and airflow around the material (the oxygen availability). Under certain fire conditions, EPS will ignite when exposed to an open flame. The transfer ignition temperature is typically 680°F (360°C).
Further flame sparks and ignition scenarios depend largely on the evolving fire temperature scale, duration of exposure to heat, and the oxygen availability around the product exposed to fire. Small flames are still possible with EPS already under fire unless it contains flame retardant additives that slow down spreading.
The behaviour and performance of a building insulation material in relation to potential fire hazards depend firstly on the chemical and nature of the material, but also on its condition at installation and its specific application. For EPS products, note the foam density and shape, the use of bonding and additives to the surface, the location of the product relative to an ignition source, and the availability of ventilation and oxygen in the building.
In the first stages of a fire, there is a gradual building up of heat energy in the form of combustible gases. In case of initial fire ignition, EPS will only soften and start to melt if exposed to high temperatures above 100°C. Usually above a temperature of 200°C, the material will give off flammable gases, which then combust into flames.
Burning will spread over the exposed surface until all material is consumed. Usually, molten EPS will not get reignited by fire sparks. For standard quality EPS, the transfer ignition temperature is high around 360°C and 370°C for FR grades. Toxic combustible gases only form above 350°C, and ignition in already melted standard grade EPS only starts at 450°C! This renders the use of EPS insulation as virtually safe and non-toxic to the environment.
When insulation materials are used in buildings, different aspects of fire performance such as heat release, flame spread, smoke production and toxicity must be carefully considered. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) has been extensively tested in terms of fire hazard assessments.
What Happens When You Burn Styrofoam?
When Styrofoam burns it does so with sooty and slightly oily smoke. This is probably indicative of the fact that it’s not fully combustible and you’re getting a bunch of different (and not fully understood) byproducts from the flames.
There’s more bad news when it comes to Styrofoam – when it burns, the gas that it releases is considered to be highly toxic when inhaled.
It seems likely that this smoke contains both styrene and other forms of toxins that you’d prefer not to inhale.
Does this mean that Styrofoam is a fire hazard?
Well, sadly there’s no official definition of “fire hazard”, but we’d suggest that you don’t keep it in any place where it’s likely to be exposed to a naked flame and ignite. And that you keep it away from any other heat sources, such as; grills, ovens, water heaters, and even garbage disposal units.
It’s best not to take any chances with a product that might release dangerous gas into your home.
Will It Burn: Styrofoam
FAQ
How hot does it have to be to burn Styrofoam?
What is the fire rating of Styrofoam?
What degrees does Styrofoam melt?
What happens to Styrofoam when it gets hot?
What temperature does styrofoam catch fire?
At temperatures above 680°F (360°C), styrofoam catches fire. It can self-ignite if the temperature rises above 800°F (427°C). Styrofoam produces a spark that can start a large fire at high temperatures. In cases of excessively high temperatures, Styrofoam explodes. Styrofoam thus poses a fire hazard when temperatures are very high.
Can styrofoam catch fire?
Styrofoam is a highly flammable material at high temperatures and can catch fire when exposed to open flame. Although styrofoam can withstand some heat but exposure to higher temperatures would cause it to melt and catch fire. Styrofoam burns with sooty smoke, releasing toxic chemicals.
What temperature does styrofoam melt?
Though Styrofoam is highly flammable, its ignition point is pretty high. Generally, when these materials come close to a fire, they will melt. The melting point is near 212 degrees Fahrenheit. After the temperature rises high, the material will catch on fire. Generally, this plastic material will ignite at 680 degrees Fahrenheit with a spark.
Is Styrofoam fire resistant?
No, Styrofoam is not fire-resistant. Because it catches on fire and can spread the fire quickly. Generally, this material catches on fire when it gets high temperature and fire. Up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit, this material will not catch on fire. So, this can be fire resistant for a little time.