Going Green Absolutely Includes Polystyrene Foam Recycling
Let’s be real about going green includes polystyrene foam (EPS) recycling expanded. It’s often mistakenly referred to as “Styrofoam” (trademarked by the Dow Chemical Company). However, it is commonly associated with a negative environmental impact. Opposite of popular belief, polystyrene is 100 percent recyclable.
In fact, according to the Expanded Polystyrene Industry Alliance (EPS-IA), an average of 15 percent of polystyrene foam is recycled each year. However, that number also highlights a much bigger problem. A significant amount of foam never reaches a recycling facility. Instead, consumers and businesses often throw it away with ordinary trash. As a result, much of the material can end up in landfills or escape into the environment. So going green includes polystyrene foam (EPS) recycling expanded!
Moreover, polystyrene foam does not simply disappear once we throw it away. The material is extremely lightweight. Therefore, wind and stormwater can easily carry discarded pieces away from waste collection areas. Eventually, that foam can reach streets, parks, waterways, and other natural environments.
Foam Recycling is a Missed Opportunity
At the same time, foam waste represents a lost recycling opportunity. Expanded polystyrene can serve another purpose when communities collect and process it properly. Recyclers can compact the bulky material. Then, manufacturers can use the recovered material in certain new products. Consequently, recycling keeps useful material in circulation while reducing the amount of waste headed toward landfills.
Nevertheless, access remains one of the biggest challenges. Many curbside recycling programs do not accept polystyrene foam. Therefore, consumers often need to find specialized recycling facilities or community drop-off programs. That extra step can discourage participation. However, better education and easier access can help change that. Why going green includes polystyrene foam (EPS) recycling expanded!
Need to be Going Green by Polystyrene Foam Recycling
Ultimately, increasing polystyrene recycling requires action from consumers, businesses, manufacturers, and local communities. First, people need to know that recycling options exist. Next, communities need convenient collection programs. Meanwhile, businesses can help by collecting clean foam and working with recycling partners.
Most importantly, we should view polystyrene foam as a material with potential value rather than automatic trash. Therefore, every piece we recover can help reduce waste. In turn, stronger recycling programs can keep more foam out of landfills and protect the environment from unnecessary pollution.
Waste Problems
That creates a serious waste problem. Polystyrene foam is lightweight, durable, and widely used. For example, companies use it for protective packaging, food containers, coolers, insulation, and shipping materials. Yet those same qualities can make the material difficult to manage after people throw it away.
Therefore, recycling polystyrene foam deserves more attention. Consumers can start by checking whether local recycling programs accept expanded polystyrene, commonly known as EPS. In addition, some communities, retailers, and specialized recycling facilities operate drop-off programs specifically for foam products.
Meanwhile, businesses can make an even larger impact. Companies that receive significant amounts of foam packaging can collect and consolidate the material instead of sending it directly to the trash. Moreover, manufacturers can increase their use of recycled content and design packaging with recovery in mind.
It’s not being Recycled Enough
Most importantly, we need to stop treating polystyrene foam as automatically disposable. Recycling opportunities may vary from one community to another. Nevertheless, when recycling is available, consumers and businesses should take advantage of it.
Ultimately, every piece of foam diverted from a landfill represents material that could potentially return to productive use. As a result, better collection, stronger recycling programs, and greater public awareness can help turn an everyday waste problem into part of a more circular economy.
The Recycling Process
Once collected, manufacturers and processors use eco-friendly technology, such as a densifier, to compress recycled polystyrene foam. A growing number of businesses and community recycling programs are using this new technology to further lower costs while shipping larger volumes of polystyrene. Next, the compressed recycled polystyrene is then reprocessed into building insulation, architectural molding, plastic lumber and many other products which are then sold to manufacturers. The process is simple and safe for the environment.
Foam in Action
There are a number of organizations that are finding ways to repurpose used polystyrene foam to further protect the environment. For example, non-profit, Sustainable Surf collects used polystyrene packaging and recycles it into Enviro-foam surfboards. Other convenient foam recycling programs, such as Dart Container’s CARE (Cups Are REcyclable) and Recycla-Pak, make collecting and recycling foam easy to help reduce greenhouse gases and minimize landfill use. As a result, it is no surprise that the EPS-IA recently indicated a steady rise in the rate of polystyrene recycling in its 2012 bi-annual recycling report.
The United States is not alone in its efforts to recycle and reuse polystyrene foam. Canada, for instance, has decided to continue its Post-Consumer Polystyrene Recycling Pilot Project that provides residents with recycling centers in which they can dispose of their used foam. The foam is then densified and reprocessed into new products. In Kenya, home builders are replacing their typical wood panels with ones made from recycled polystyrene foam products in order to decrease expenses and preserve the surrounding forests.
Importance of Recycling
It is more important than ever to recycle polystyrene foam in order to reduce the amount of solid waste that enters and remains in landfills. Even though foam makes up less than 1% of public solid waste based on both weight and volume, every effort counts.
In fact, according to the Expanded Polystyrene Industry Alliance (EPS-IA), an average of 15 percent of polystyrene foam is recycled each year. However, that figure also means a large amount of this material never reaches a recycling facility. Instead, much of it can end up in landfills or the environment.
That creates a serious waste problem. Polystyrene foam is lightweight, durable, and widely used. For example, companies use it for protective packaging, food containers, coolers, insulation, and shipping materials. Yet those same qualities can make the material difficult to manage after people throw it away.
Therefore, recycling polystyrene foam deserves more attention. Consumers can start by checking whether local recycling programs accept expanded polystyrene, commonly known as EPS. In addition, some communities, retailers, and specialized recycling facilities operate drop-off programs specifically for foam products.
Meanwhile, businesses can make an even larger impact. Companies that receive significant amounts of foam packaging can collect and consolidate the material instead of sending it directly to the trash. Moreover, manufacturers can increase their use of recycled content and design packaging with recovery in mind.
Raising Awareness
By raising awareness of the benefits of foam recycling, building a network of recycling partners, and expanding market availability, we can significantly increase the amount of foam recycled each day. To date, polystyrene foam is being recycled in about 65 cities across the United States.
Most importantly, we need to stop treating polystyrene foam as automatically disposable. Recycling opportunities may vary from one community to another. Nevertheless, when recycling is available, consumers and businesses should take advantage of it.
Ultimately, every piece of foam diverted from a landfill represents material that could potentially return to productive use. As a result, better collection, stronger recycling programs, and greater public awareness can help turn an everyday waste problem into part of a more circular economy.
To date, polystyrene foam is being recycled in about 65 cities across the United States.
Does your city recycle foam?
