I thought about this when I was in agronomy as an undergraduate. The major problem is not the birds eating it so much as the styrofoam readily runs off into surface waters. If you use it as a soil amendment then there are serious repercussions to the aquatic environment. First, they could affect siltation-like processes, they could affect fish respiration, and they could limit gas exchange at the water surface resulting in anoxia. This is all speculation. But it might help you in thinking about this issue.
Malcolm -----Original Message----- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Warren W. Aney Sent: Monday, January 23, 2006 1:44 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Birds and styrofoam pellets I hope to solve two problems: --recycling of styrofoam --improving the texture of of high clay content soils Warren Aney (503)246-8613 -----Original Message----- From: Wayne Tyson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, 22 January, 2006 22:51 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [email protected] Subject: Re: Birds and styrofoam pellets What do you hope to accomplish, and what led you to do it? WT At 01:21 PM 1/22/2006, Warren W. Aney wrote: I have been using small (<5 mm) styrofoam pellets as a soil additive. Since they tend to accumulate on the soil surface, these whitish pellets might easily be ingested by ground foraging birds. I've done a quick Google search and found little information indicating whether or not this material might be ingested or, if ingested, that it will have adverse effects. Does anyone have any information regarding this? Warren Aney (503)246-8613
