Despite being banned by some states and cities because of the potential for harming the environment, Styrofoam manufacturing increased slightly in the United States in 2022. 

According to Healthline.com, while most Americans refer to white foam take-out containers as Styrofoam, the name is actually a trademarked term used to refer to containers made from expanded polystyrene foam. If you want to use these containers, however, you may want to reconsider. Styrofoam Mailing Containers

Safer and environmentally friendly alternatives to Styrofoam include to-go containers and cups made from recycled plants and wood fibers, to-go cups made from recycled plastics and even "edible glassware" made from plant gelatin.

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Although Styrofoam containers are popular for take-out, it may not be safe to microwave these containers because of styrene, a compound used to make polystyrene. 

Because styrene has been linked to cancer, microwaving Styrofoam can be unsafe. The compound and other harmful chemicals may leak into food since the containers can melt or break down at high temperatures when microwaved, according to Mr.Appliance.com. 

According to Healthline, some polystyrene containers are safe to microwave if they have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, which tests the safety of microwavable containers. To determine if your polystyrene container is microwave safe look for a label on the container indicating so. 

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If your container contains a label indicating it is microwavable safe, then you can safely heat your food in the microwave. If it does not contain a label saying it can go in the microwave, it is better to be safe than sorry, according to Healthline.

Block Molding Machine If you are unsure of the safety of your polystyrene container, remove what you would like to heat up into a microwave-safe container.