The food service industry is a major user of this product, which makes strong, protective, and insulating trays, cups, and containers. These properties also allow it to be a preferred packaging material for product protection in shipping. The term polystyrene means that the plastic is derived from styrene, a liquid hydrocarbon. Polystyrene Recycling. Foam products are too light for the sorting machines during the recycling process. Rigid polystyrene is used to make yoghurt containers, plastic cutlery, and CD cases. Some estimates suggest it could comprise of as much as 30% of landfill waste. Polystyrene is also used to make useful products such as disposable cups, trays, cutlery, cartons, cases etc. You can actually make money from recycling polystyrene! If the waste company says so, you may be able to dispose of it by double-bagging it and putting it with your standard trash. Most Councils accept rigid polystyrene containers (for example yoghurt tubs) in kerbside recycling bins, however, polystyrene foam is very rarely accepted for recycling. This cannot be recycled and should be put in your household refuse bin. Plastic #6/Styrofoam itself is challenging to recycle, adding to the issue most household Styrofoam is contaminated with food and oils making it unable to be recycled anyways. Here in Wädenswil, you have to dispose of your small bits of polystyrene with other household rubbish in the normal (extra price of course) rubbish sack. They also contain plastic which doesn't break down during composting and will contaminate the finished compost. Bung them into a blender with enough added water to float the … The balls can be sucked more quickly, and so without the vacuum cleaner, it is very much difficult for the people to clean the balls. Because it is often used for food packaging due its thermal insulation, polystyrene frequently ends up in landfill. Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) is great for protecting the products you need to run your business, but it can take up valuable storage and waste disposal space. How to Get Rid of Styrofoam. If you generate more than one skip a week of loose polystyrene, an EPS compactor is definitely worth it. The polystyrene recycling identification code is PS. Polystyrene can’t be recycled from your kerbside recycling bin, however many councils still make it possible for you to help the environment and recycle polystyrene. This indicates that it is a plastic material, first discovered in 1839 by Eduard Simon, a Berlin apothecary. Expanded polystyrene foam generates a significant volume of air, water and solid pollution during the manufacturing process. In 2011, less than 10 per cent of expanded polystyrene (EPS) was recycled, being one of the most poorly recycled plastics in NSW. The short answer is yes. Some of these properties are also why it is difficult to dispose of. They suggest that polystyrene foam food service disposables contribute approximately 0.25 percent by weight of the total waste stream, and that the products of combustion of polystyrene … Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) is a lightweight, rigid cellular plastic that is used widely as a packaging medium. Polystyrene recycling scheme unveiledElaine Edwards Some 200 tonnes of the packaging material polystyrene are to diverted from landfill sites over the next year under a recycling scheme unveiled today. not putting it in a yellow bin bag, not taking it to the tip. When we think of polystyrene, the white and light packaging that wraps appliances comes to mind. Styrofoam monopolizes precious landfill space; plus, scientists believe it can potentially persist in its solid form for thousands of years. Why can't polystyrene foam be recycled or composted? If the insulation cannot be recycled, you will want to contact the local waste management company. from electronic equipment and food trays) cannot be recycled and goes in your red general waste bag or bin.. Polystyrene chips (or “packaging peanuts”) and packaging (e.g. Polystyrene recycling drop off stations are available through many Councils across Sydney and Melbourne at a range of locations. Most can be recycled in your kerbside recycling bin – just make sure they’re dry and free of food and liquids before you put them in. For this you'll need the tougher kind of polystyrene, such as the meat trays from certain old fashioned butchers. In 2009/2010 approximately 36,000 tonnes of EPS was manufactured in Australia. You could try giving it back to the retailer/delivery company. During the same period over 900 tonnes of EPS was collected and recycled. Polystyrene can be recycled into items such as picture frames, plants pots, garden furniture and much more which means that none of the material goes to waste. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) was thought to be un-recyclable by most, however this is not the case. If you put it in your rubbish bin it takes up space in landfill and does not break down. Thoroughly clean and cut them into rough 2cm squares with sharp scissors. As Cleanway (Australia’s leading waste management company) states: Polystyrene is a type 6 plastic and can be rigid or foamed, each with a variety of applications.. How to dispose of / recycle polystyrene packaging Silvana from Karori. Polystyrene packaging How to dispose of polystyrene. Dealing with a material like polystyrene can be difficult for businesses and individuals alike. Most people don’t want to fill their bins with substances like this, well-aware that they will last for thousands of years before breaking down on a landfill site. Builders to contact their supplier. These are listed below and we would urge you to do your bit to dispose of your EPS waste in these locations if this is a possibility for you. From coffee cups to carry-out containers, expanded polystyrene products — commonly referred to by the brand name Styrofoam — are omnipresent in today's culture. Despite being a highly visible waste product, there is typically low community recognition that EPS is indeed a recyclable product. But how? At the moment, polystyrene can not be commonly recycled through kerbside collection – it needs a specific programme to help it be reused (see below). We like to do our best for the environment at Vertapak and our commitment to recycling polystyrene packaging ensures that we use our products in the most efficient way. It is estimated that 12,000 tonnes of EPS is disposed of to landfill each year, taking up 240,000 cubic metres of landfill space. Some companies specialise in recycling expanded polystyrene – contact your local council to find out if … Polystyrene can't be added to your household recycling bin, and is a bulky and lingering addition to landfill. Common bean bag filling, expanded polystyrene (EPS) can actually be recycled by separately containing the small beans in a clear plastic bag for your recycling bin. Also, EPS does not decompose as most other materials do. Please note, that this does not include building waste. If you can't find a polystyrene foam drop-off center near your house, you could always consider creative new ways to reuse or upcycle styrofoam in order to get more use out of it rather than sending it straight to the trash. Expanded polystyrene foam (EPS), commonly known as polystyrene foam is a lightweight cellular plastic material consisting of small hollow spherical balls, widely used as a packaging medium. Other companies however will have huge quantities to dispose of, some even on a daily basis. While Styrofoam, otherwise known as polystyrene, is accepted at a few recycling facilities, for the majority of municipal recycling centers this isn’t the case. To assist residents who want to dispose of polystyrene products rather than throw them out with the trash, following are some options: Packing Peanuts. Mitre 10. Currently, there are very few options for companies or members of the public to dispose of expanded polystyrene If the insulation is still usable, you can dispose of it through recycling. Polystyrene is a very versatile material, but recycling it isn't always easy. Mitr e 10 Mega New Lynn; When buying new items and/or produce make a conscious effort to buy things with as little packaging as possible. The BPF Expanded Polystyrene Group (www.eps.co.uk) has 29 EPS Recyclers details available on their website, along with 6 EPS Recycling Points across the UK. Polystyrene itself is a form of plastic, a polymer that can be extruded (think Styrofoam®) or expanded. i.e. It can take more than 1,000 years for a single … Most bean bag filler is made from EPS Polystyrene. Can anyone tell me how to dispose of / recycle polystyrene packaging in the most cost effective way. Polystyrene Waste Collection Points The following locations are for the general public polystyrene waste recycling. Expanded Polystyrene Australia (EPSA), the national industry body for all EPS manufacturers and distributors in Australia, advises that EPS is recyclable at many stages of its life cycle. Polystyrene packing peanuts can be taken to your local Mail Boxes Etc., PostNet or UPS stores, where they will be reused in future packing shipments. You can help the environment by dropping off polystyrene for recycling at locations across Melbourne (see below). The polystyrene industry makes light of the issue of the impact of their products in the waste stream. It takes up valuable landfill space, too. Put foam into a garbage bag to keep it from blowing away during collection. The polystyrene will then be compressed into a solid block and transported to a manufacturer. Collection Points: NORTH ISLAND. Polystyrene packaging can’t be recycled in your kerbside recycling bin. First invented in 1839 by German inventor Eduard Simon as a revolutionary material, polystyrene now … Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) cannot be collected in your council recycling service. EPS Polystyrene is a manmade foam that cannot be recycled in the usual manner like many other plastics. When heated, monomer styrene molecules link together into long chains, creating a polymer material that's solid when it cools to room temperature. Despite the attractiveness of polystyrene, municipalities and organisations are facing a growing problem in disposal of polystyrene packaging and products. 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