6. Applications

Standard, crystal and impact PS are used in a wide variety of applications. Figure 10 shows the breakdown of the Western European market (2100 kt in 2001) according to the main application sectors.

• Food packaging and related products

The manufacture of food and related packaging is the main outlet for polystyrene in Western Europe. It accounts for 45% of the market.

Most of it is used for packaging dairy products. Indeed, polystyrene's secability properties make it the material of choice for the production of yoghurt pots and dairy desserts. These packages are extruded, thermoformed and filled in-line using the FFS (Form Fill Seal) technique.

The...