Don’t Throw Out the White Stuff – Recycle Polystyrene
This is the season of giving and accumulating. Whether we are gifting goods or receiving them, we usually end up with a pile of boxes and empty packaging. You will probably find a lot of your Christmas treasures are packed with EPS foam (expanded polystyrene). That’s the white stuff often (incorrectly) referred to as “Styrofoam”. Common packaging that includes EPS is electronics like TVs, computers or gaming consoles. Or perhaps you had a shipment of steaks or frozen food products that came in a white foam cooler.
EPS foam is a valuable packaging material for its thermal properties and compressive resistance to impact. The worst thing when opening a gift is to find it damaged! EPS foam is the most recommended material for use in helmets and car seats, you can rest assured that it is the most optimal material to protect your treasured items as well. You can read more about the Protective Power of EPS Foam on our blog.
The other amazing feature of EPS is that it is 100% recyclable! So before you throw your EPS foam in the trash, know that many EPS manufacturers like us will take clean foam to be recycled back into our product. There are also amazing innovative processes like that of Agilyx Corporation who are working to make EPS recycling more universal. Find out how you can take part in this circular economy below.
How To Recycle Polystyrene Foam
If you are local to the Lehigh Valley, you can drop off CLEAN* EPS foam at our location:
Insulation Company of America
2571 Mitchell Avenue
Allentown, PA 18103
P: 610-791-4200
(Be sure to call first if you have any questions.)
*Please note that our RECYCLING EPS RULES *MUST* be followed or else your foam may be refused. We are a manufacturer, not an actual recycling center, so your foam will be ground up and put right back into our product.
If you are not local to the Lehigh Valley, please visit EPS INDUSTRY to find a recycling location near you
OR
Check out the resources we mention on our GOING GREEN page.
