As a form of protective, hygienic packaging polystyrene is ubiquitous, meaning disposing of it properly is essential – but the question is often asked ‘is polystyrene recyclable?’
The short answer is ‘yes, but due to the restrictions on curbside recycling, it is not always apparent how easy it is to recycle polystyrene.
As a result, the capacity to recycle polystyrene can be overlooked.
Due to its wide use across numerous industries recycling polystyrene wherever possible is essential to help reduce waste and protect the environment.
The good news about polystyrene is that it is 100 per cent recyclable.
Where can you recycle polystyrene?
While councils generally recommend that individual households put polystyrene in the black bin along with their general waste, recycling is readily available within the industry.
For such protective product polystyrene shrinks down to very little when recycled due to the fact that the product is 98 per cent air – and just two per cent polystyrene.
Many polystyrene manufacturers also offer recycling facilities allowing the polystyrene to be used once again.
Polystyrene recycling involves breaking the product down so that it can be used once more. As there is such a large amount of air in polystyrene the recycling process means that the product is greatly compacted and easy to transport and store ahead of being used again.
Durable properties suit re-use
The properties that make polystyrene such a popular packaging material mean that it is extremely durable, and without proper recycling and disposal can take up to 1,000 years to biodegrade.
This makes the need for appropriate recycling methods to be put in place vital when considering the waste footprint of your company and its ethical commitments.
This durability can also offer up other uses of polystyrene as a secondary solution for recycling. Polystyrene is commonly used as an insulating material and for protecting plants, while there are companies that can use polystyrene to create products such as garden furniture and household items.
As a product in itself polystyrene is clean and free of CFCs, allowing it to be recycled and reused easily.
Mindful of the part businesses and individuals must play in tackling the global waste problem and plastic pollution, polystyrene manufacturers often offer recycling facilities to help customers meet environmental objectives.
Vertapak is committed to producing and using products in an effective way that makes the most efficient use of the product. To this end we break waste polystyrene into beads before mixing it with new beads and moulding into blocks so that it can be used once more.
Efficient packaging has an important part to play in protecting goods from damage – including food and electrical goods, which is also an import part of avoiding waste.
As an important packaging solution, it is vital that polystyrene is disposed of carefully to reduce the impact of waste on the environment.
Talk to use about recycling polystyrene
Vertapak manufactures high quality polystyrene and is committed to maintaining high standards. To discuss your packaging needs – and concerns about recycling – please get in touch with Vertapak.