# Is there a correct layman's term for Styrofoam cups and plates(sic)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 2, 2001, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-correct-laymans-term-for-styrofoam-cups-and-plates-sic/52931 "2001-02-02T22:43:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-correct-laymans-term-for-styrofoam-cups-and-plates-sic/52931/1 "2001-02-02T22:43:18Z")
I’ve been wondering about this. A search of the archive yields [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=40264) thread, but it doesn’t answer the question. From [Dow’s website](http://www.dow.com/Styrofoam/na/about/regtm.htm) comes the following, which I knew to be true: > [@](#): > > So next time you get a cup of java to go, remember, you can’t drink coffee from a STYROFOAM cup – because there is no such thing! … STYROFOAM\* is a registered trademark of The Dow Chemical Company for its distinctive Blue\* insulation product used primarily in the construction industry. It is not used in the manufacture of disposable foam products, such as food packaging, cups, plates, coolers or egg trays. These disposable products are made of either molded expanded polystyrene beads or thin extruded polystyrene sheet, neither of which is manufactured by Dow in the United States. So, my question is two fold, I guess – Why is it that everyone in America (yes, hyperbole, deal with it) calls those polystyrene cups and plates “styrofoam” ? Is there an accurate layman’s term for these products? If no, why not? I imagine that this will generate more WAGs than anything else, but I hope not. Manny, Chronos … If this degenerates below the GQ level, feel free to move it. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-correct-laymans-term-for-styrofoam-cups-and-plates-sic/52931/2 "2001-02-02T22:59:13Z")
The company I work for wholesales foam products made from Styrofoam brand material (HA! take that!). We almost always refer to such products by that name or, to a lesser extent, just foam. ---
**Author:** ![Arjuna34](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Arjuna34](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arjuna34)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-correct-laymans-term-for-styrofoam-cups-and-plates-sic/52931/3 "2001-02-02T23:06:50Z")
According to [this article by Cecil](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_109.html), the correct name is “plastic foam cup”. Arjuna34 ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2001, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-correct-laymans-term-for-styrofoam-cups-and-plates-sic/52931/4 "2001-02-02T23:27:26Z")
From the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual: “Styrofoam A trademark for a brand of plastic foam. Use the term plastic foam unless referring specifically to the trade mark product.” Even though we think nothing of making a xerox or using a kleenex, journalists are trained to keep terms commercially neutral. The problem nowadays in the infotainment culture is that companies who pay for air time and print space want you to use their brand name when the news is good, but use the generic term if it’s bad. Good thing the SD isn’t infotainment - it’s entermation.