Popcorn

I haven't seen any discussion of the ramifications of real versus fake
popcorn for packing material. My immediate reaction is that anything
which anyone is willing to do which cuts down on the use of the
styrofoam popcorn should be encouraged. The manufacturing process is
detrimental to the environment and when discarded the stuff does not
deteriorate, ever, I believe. I can also see the problems of discarding
the real stuff after it has traveled across the globe, and of its
attraction to rodents etc. if box after box of the stuff is sitting on a
shipping dock. Can someone point me to studies or discussion of this
issue?

    **** Moderator's comments:   Our concern is that it is a bad idea to
    introduce large quantities of food into a library because it
    provides food for rodents and insects.  If it stays around for a
    while it could also support mold growth.  I might also have some
    reservations about the oil content (even air-popped popcorn is rich
    in oil).  Popcorn may well have a place, but the library isn't the
    place.  We don't allow students to bring in popcorn...


Thank you,
David Gilbert
Humanities Preservation Project
Univ. of Illinois in the land of corn

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 5:32
                Distributed: Tuesday, December 10, 1991
                        Message Id: cdl-5-32-005
                                  ***