Gathering all the styrofoam is a problem. However, cardboard doesn't fit all the roles that styrofoam fills (in particular insulation).
There's certainly a need to use the most recyclable solution (rather than cheapest) of the practical options. It is also important to remember that not all recyclable solutions are practical.
For packing fill and protection, switching from styrofoam to cardboard increases its carbon footprint because of the increased weight of the cardboard needed for packaging.
Having better recycling with plastic products can mean reduced shipping footprint, reduced water usage (recycling paper products is water intensive) and a reduced demand for wood pulp meaning that planted trees can capture more carbon before they're needed as a resource.
Our current use of plastics (lack of recycling options leading to disposal in landfill) is not something that is sustainable but going with solutions like corrugated cardboard can hide other costs.
Well yes, we can't replace all usages of styrofoam with cardboard.
But that is why I said "such as cardboard". It would have to be on a case by case basis, such as the expanded corn foam.
Materials like styrofoam when it is lots of little balls compressed together are terrible as they always break up and would never be able to be all collected up.
The expanded foam plastics that are formed into the correct shape so they don't shatter into tiny pieces would already be better. The small ball form should be banned as it is the worst form of it.
There's certainly a need to use the most recyclable solution (rather than cheapest) of the practical options. It is also important to remember that not all recyclable solutions are practical.
For packing fill and protection, switching from styrofoam to cardboard increases its carbon footprint because of the increased weight of the cardboard needed for packaging.
https://theecobahn.com/packaging/plastic-vs-cardboard-packag...
Having better recycling with plastic products can mean reduced shipping footprint, reduced water usage (recycling paper products is water intensive) and a reduced demand for wood pulp meaning that planted trees can capture more carbon before they're needed as a resource.
Our current use of plastics (lack of recycling options leading to disposal in landfill) is not something that is sustainable but going with solutions like corrugated cardboard can hide other costs.