Disposing of and Recycling Styrofoam: How to Do It Properly
Polystyrene foam has an unfairly poor environmental image: clean EPS is 100% recyclable. The material consists of approximately 98% air and 2% polystyrene, and that polystyrene is compacted and reused at specialized collection points — including in new insulation products for construction. In this article, you will learn how to dispose of Polystyrene Boxes correctly.
Is polystyrene foam recyclable?
Yes. EPS (expanded polystyrene) is a mono-material and therefore easy to recycle — provided it is clean and dry. Contaminated polystyrene foam (with food residues, tape or stickers) can disrupt the recycling process. Therefore, first remove tape and labels and wipe the box clean.
Where can you take polystyrene foam?
- Recycling centre / municipal collection point. Almost every municipality accepts clean polystyrene foam separately. There, it is compacted and sent to an EPS recycler.
- PMD bag: check your municipality. In some municipalities, small polystyrene foam packaging may go with PMD waste, while in many others it may not. Consult your municipality’s waste guide.
- Larger volumes (businesses). If you process polystyrene foam on a structural basis, specialized EPS recyclers collect compacted bales. For businesses with a consistent volume, this is often even cost-neutral.
Reuse is even better
Recycling is good; reuse is better. EPP boxes are strong enough for multiple trips: reuse them for your own shipments, as a cooler box on the go, or as a storage box. Many of our customers use return boxes several times before they enter the recycling stream.
Sustainable alternatives
If you want to move away from plastic entirely, there are fully fledged alternatives: honeycomb cardboard cool boxes can go entirely with waste paper, and foldable thermal boxes save up to 5x storage and transport space. For return flows, reusable EPP boxes can be used for hundreds of cycles.
Conclusion
Disposing of polystyrene foam is simple: keep it clean, remove the tape, and take it to the recycling centre or — where permitted — the PMD bag. This keeps the material in the circular economy. View our full range of Polystyrene Boxes from our own Dutch production, or the sustainable alternatives above.
