As both firms and consumers seek new, environment-friendly choices to plastic, sustainability has actually started to be understood as a complex problem that requires to take several elements right into account. EPS recycling stands at the facility of this issue.
While EPS is, actually, a cellular plastic material, its possibilities as sustainable packaging are more and more acknowledged as EPS recycling and reusing potentialities are carried out. This is why we want to specify on the fact of EPS packaging as a sustainable alternative.
Expanded polystyrene: why it is a sustainable plastic
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is a mobile plastic product made of 98% air and also 2% of issue that presents superior attributes as a packaging product (thermal insulator, exceptional compressive toughness as well as shock-absorption, inert, extremely lightweight …).
Apart from EPS packaging, this product is also extensively used in:
- Building
- Food and pharmaceutical markets
- Family appliances
- Industrial parts, such as those required in the automotive industry.
With new sustainability as well as ecological values permeating both the general public and governmental regulations, using plastic materials derived from oil has been significantly controversial. In this context, polystyrene, a product that is slow-moving to biodegrade, has actually made a bad online reputation.
Nonetheless, EPS provides a number of advantages that have to be thought about and also which can turn this product into a lasting choice:
The EPS production procedure offers a tiny carbon footprint compared to various other products. Heavy steam is used as a source of power as well as there’s little intake of water, which is likewise reused.
At the same time, during the production process, little waste is generated as every extra thing can be included back right into the procedure. The reality that this material utilizes just 2% of polystyrene (98% of EPS is air) also minimizes the carbon impact as well as making use of materials.
In contrast to other plastic products, EPS recycling is easy when the appropriate programs are used. Actually, just 0.1% of community solid waste is broadened polystyrene.
The set up of EPS recycling plants around the world is driving the recycling of EPS to new records. This product is thus taken into brand-new EPS packaging yet it can include lots of various other usages, from the manufacturing of brand-new plastics to construction or manufacturing.
EPS permits the generation of enhanced and customized product packaging, reducing using products to a minimum as well as, therefore, likewise minimizing the environmental effect.
Recycled polystyrene: Where is EPS waste deposited?
EPS recycling can happen a number of times, and also the item doesn’t present any kind of deterioration throughout the procedure.
In order to do this, there are different choices for collection points. On the one hand, end-users can resort to various other plastic collection points in containers. On the other hand, some EPS manufacturing facilities supervise of setting up collection points for EPS recycling.
After the procedure occurs, there are several possible ends for recycled EPS, which can be integrated right into:
- New EPS product packaging, consisting of EPS pallets
- EPS building panels, ideal for thermal insulation in structures
- Other made products such as photo frameworks, coat hangers, garments …
EPS recycling: the procedure
- To start with, EPS requires to be divided from various other materials, as it will certainly be refined alone. It can only be collected with PS because they are made from the exact same particles.
- EPS is then moved to certain handling plants.
- Solutions such as EPS compressing equipments permit companies to optimize room, minimizing the EPS items’ volume.
- At the same time, EPS densifiers enable the processing as well as recycling of EPS waste. In order to do so, they crush EPS into little pieces and afterwards thaw them. The goal is to minimize the items’ volume and also produce EPS blocks that are easily transported to new centers, where they can be included into brand-new items.