Have you ever heard that Styrofoam™ Brand foam or Expanded Polystyrene foam cannot be recycled? This is a common myth that most people believe to be true. The fact of the matter is, both kinds of foam can be recycled!
Plastic number 6 is specifically polystyrene. Polystyrene is a material found in both Styrofoam and EPS. According to the 2012 EPS Packaging Recycling Rate Study conducted by the EPS Industry Alliance, in 2012 alone more than 93 million pounds of expanded polystyrene foam was recycled. Also, Industries appeared to recycle more than consumers.
The study also found that EPS alone represents the highest occurrences of plastic recycled out of all the plastics on the market, making up 50% of all post use recycled polystyrene.
Foam products are primarily made up of air. EPS is 90% of the air we breathe. This is what helps make this product recyclable. Foam does not have CFC’s in it or any other harmful chemicals to our environment.
Unfortunately, your curbside waste facility/recycling program may not accept plastic #6. This is not because they do not wish to recycle it; it is because the foam is useless if it is contaminated with excess liquid, food, and dirt from the other items in the large recycling bin at the facility. Washing the material is an easy fix to this problem but many facilities do not offer this service. Some states are now starting to establish specific polystyrene foam programs for recycling use.
What should you do with your polystyrene after your done with it? You can search for local recyclers in your area that will accept plastic number 6. You can also use your foam for other household needs such as a craft. Lastly, if there are no local places that accept plastic #6, AFPR offers a mail in program that you can send your polystyrene foam to.
Call (410) 825-8300 or send us an email at sales@univfoam.com
Foam products are primarily made up of air. EPS is 90% of the air we breathe. This is what helps make this product recyclable. Foam does not have CFC’s in it or any other harmful chemicals to our environment.
Unfortunately, your curbside waste facility/recycling program may not accept plastic #6. This is not because they do not wish to recycle it; it is because the foam is useless if it is contaminated with excess liquid, food, and dirt from the other items in the large recycling bin at the facility. Washing the material is an easy fix to this problem but many facilities do not offer this service. Some states are now starting to establish specific polystyrene foam programs for recycling use.
What should you do with your polystyrene after your done with it? You can search for local recyclers in your area that will accept plastic number 6. You can also use your foam for other household needs such as a craft. Lastly, if there are no local places that accept plastic #6, AFPR offers a mail in program that you can send your polystyrene foam to.
Good post! About the waste Styrofoam, our company INTCO also has many machines to deal with it. Our company has compactor, melter, dewatering machine, and crusher which all can deal with it. Here is our website: http://www.intcorecycling.com/styrofoam-recycling-solutions.html
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