People are great in EPS foam recycling, but local institution, not so much

Every good gardener knows what goes into a composter and what goes in the trash. Great, but not all trash is the same. There are many materials that need to be selected carefully as proper separation plays an important role in the reuse of the relevant waste. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is no exception.

We all know the packaging foam used everywhere. EPS foam consists 98% of air and 2% of the relevant polymer and it is used to package fragile items.

EPS and its uses

EPS offers great thermal insulation properties, resistance to moisture and impact absorption. Expanded polystyrene is usually used to pack delicate electrical appliances as well as larger appliances such a refrigerators and TV sets. It is also used in the food industry, mainly because of its thermal insulation properties.

Can EPS be reused? Yes, it can but it largely depends on correct sorting. There are technologies that can recycle even heavily soiled EPS, but these are not very common. The best option is to take used EPS to a waste collection point. Why should you do that rather than throwing EPS in the trash? “Expanded polystyrene belongs in yellow recycling containers but there is a risk of contamination by other waste that is in the same container, which makes recycling more difficult,” says Pavel Zemene, Chairman of the Czech EPS Association.

More recycling containers

Sorting this type of waste can be a problem in certain municipalities as confirmed by data provided by the Czech EPS Association. People sort polystyrene foam better than a year ago, but 8 out of 10 would like to have a separate container at their place of residence. Right now, more than a half of respondents (60%) put EPS in yellow containers, and the rest of people take it to a collection point or do not sort it at all. So, what about you?

Preview photo: Pixabay

Source: Češi třídí pěnový polystyren lépe než před rokem, 8 z 10 by ocenilo separátní kontejner v místně svého bydliště | Protext – PR služby ČTK