Recycling
Recycling EPS
With today’s growing concerns about the environment and climate change, expanded polystyrene is increasingly recognized as environmentally preferable for a host of reasons including its lightweight nature, its outstanding insulation properties and its low carbon footprint.
Is EPS Recyclable?YES
Is EPS Safe?YES
Plastic substitutes
It’s not as simple as good or bad. The reality is every material has consequences which must be considered and balanced for environmental benefits.
54%
of all EPS packaging is currently recycled
Did You Know?
EPS is safe and effective for many product applications:
Transport packaging
Pharmaceutical packaging
Bicycle helmets
Live organ transport
Food service packaging
New pyrolysis technology to provide Delta Airlines with fuel from recycle Expanded polystyrene (EPS) was announced in January 2019
Substitutions are risky
Not all paper packaging containers are recyclable
Heavier alternative packaging
Consumes more raw material, energy and landfill space
Meat, fish and produce shipped in EPS result in less food waste
Demand life cycle analysis of alternative materials
Verify recycling claims
Bans are ineffective
Bans do not reduce waste
Bans are not tied to environmental benefits
Bans can have unintended consequences
Find out more details in the pages in this section and in our downloads.
- EPS recycling – the facts
- Environment facts
- Recycling post-packaging EPS
- Recycling post-construction EPS
- Environmental performance
- BRE Green Guide
- Seafish: Alternative disposal of polystyrene fish boxes (pdf)
- Practicalities, Managing Waste & Energy Recovery
- Recycling Machinery Suppliers
- Links to companies that sell recycled plastic products
- Uptake and effects of orally ingested polystyrene microplastic particles in vitro and in vivo
EPS and the environment
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British Plastics Federation