Boost sustainability goals with scalable EPS recycling

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is a lightweight, versatile material that is used in packaging, insulation, industrial and consumer goods. Despite its recyclability, misconceptions often categorize EPS alongside nonrecyclable single-use plastics, limiting its role in waste management solutions.

EPS has a robust recycling network of over 680 drop-off locations across the United States, designed to collect, densify and transform the material into reusable products. However, misinformation, including confusion between EPS and Styrofoam—a trade name created by Dow for extruded polystyrene—has hindered its integration into mainstream recycling efforts.

For EPS recycling to succeed, businesses and consumers must engage in education, infrastructure expansion and corporate collaboration to redefine its role within the circular economy.

Bridging the awareness gap

Despite being 98 percent air and 2 percent plastic, EPS often is misunderstood due to its plastic composition and limited curbside recycling availability.

A key advancement in sustainable material recovery is the increased use of postconsumer resin (PCR), available with up to 50 percent recycled content. This innovation elevates EPS recycling beyond recovery, promoting reuse and reducing reliance on virgin plastics. Manufacturers incorporating PCR into new EPS products help close the material loop, reinforcing EPS’ role in sustainable product life cycles.

According to Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Resource Recycling Systems (RRS), EPS recycling diverted 168 million pounds of material from landfills in 2022, including 61 million pounds of postconsumer packaging. However, public awareness remains a challenge as many consumers don’t recognize a No. 6 recycling symbol or know where to find drop-off locations. Likewise, businesses lack the strategic partnerships necessary to implement recycling programs.

Boots on the ground

A recent EPS recycling event in Ohio hosted by Atlas Molded Products demonstrated the power of public education and engagement.

The turnout exceeded expectations, with long lines of residents eager to recycle their EPS materials. The event even gained unexpected media attention, highlighting growing interest in sustainable scrap solutions. Many attendees expressed surprise upon learning EPS is recyclable through specialized drop-off programs, reinforcing the need for broader awareness campaigns.

People want to recycle, but they don’t always know how. Seeing the process firsthand changes perspectives.

The success of the event underscores an opportunity to replicate similar initiatives nationwide, particularly in regions where EPS recycling infrastructure exists but is underused. By partnering with local organizations, businesses and advocacy groups, future events could expand accessibility, increase participation and reshape public perception.

Corporate engagement as the solution

Corporations play a pivotal role in improving EPS recycling accessibility. Businesses can address misconceptions and scale sustainability initiatives by leveraging existing resources and infrastructure.

Corporations can address EPS recycling accessibility in a number of ways:

• Invest in local recycling facilities. Expanding EPS drop-off locations through corporate partnerships improves accessibility and public engagement. Many companies actively are rebuilding and expanding recycling infrastructure, collaborating with waste management organizations and local municipalities to establish new recycling hubs and densification sites.
• Adopt internal recycling programs. Businesses generating EPS can close the loop by implementing internal recycling systems and programs that collect, densify and reuse materials. As PCR availability increases, companies integrating it into EPS production significantly reduce reliance on virgin plastics, reinforcing circular economy principles while lowering their production costs through material reuse.
• Support public education. Partnering with nonprofits and advocacy groups to develop educational programs about EPS recyclability can broaden public understanding and drive participation. An online map developed by the Crofton, Maryland-based EPS Industry Alliance simplifies locating drop-off points, helping businesses and consumers identify available infrastructure.
• Promote densification technology. Businesses can increase EPS recycling efficiency by investing in densification equipment, which reduces transportation costs, improves storage and streamlines reuse. Educating on this equipment enhances sustainability efforts and removes logistical barriers that prevent participation.
• Showcase success stories. Sharing real-world examples of successful EPS recycling efforts strengthens credibility. Foam Cycle, the first patented foam recycling system designed for municipal drop-off centers, now serves more than 30 cities and reaches more than 11.5 million people, according to its latest 2023-2024 reports. Foam Cycle has scaled infrastructure, improved accessibility and strengthened industry partnerships, demonstrating corporate commitment and scalable success. Meanwhile, other companies such as Atlas Molded Products are advancing EPS recycling with 16 manufacturing facilities nationwide supporting sustainable materials management.

By prioritizing these initiatives, businesses can position themselves as sustainability leaders while actively contributing to a more efficient recycling system.

Amplifying awareness

The success of EPS recycling depends on the collaboration between manufacturers, businesses and consumers. Multimedia campaigns, corporate storytelling and community partnerships can reinforce the idea of EPS’s recyclability and broaden public engagement.

Despite manufacturers recycling EPS for many years, consumer participation remains underdeveloped.

Businesses can reshape perceptions by highlighting contributions to sustainability, including landfill waste reduction, lower transportation emissions and circular economy integration.

Life cycle assessments (LCAs) provide data-driven insights into environmental impacts, distinguishing genuine sustainability efforts from greenwashing. PIQET and similar tools measuring circularity compare EPS with alternative materials such as paper, pulp and biodegradable options across metrics like energy use, water use and global warming potential.

Companies integrating PCR into EPS production strengthen their sustainability efforts by reducing virgin plastic dependency. As LCAs reveal the environmental benefits of recycled content, they act as critical transparency tools, helping differentiate credible sustainability commitments from superficial claims.

EPS’ circular economy role

EPS recycling aligns with circular economy principles, ensuring materials are reused to maximize resources and minimize waste. EPS can be repurposed into rigid polystyrene applications, building materials and more, reinforcing its circularity as a sustainable resource when properly recycled.

EPS rapidly is transitioning from a misunderstood material to a critical component of sustainability initiatives by expanding corporate engagement, addressing recycling gaps and scaling awareness and education campaigns.

While the infrastructure for EPS recycling already exists, success depends on visibility and accessibility.

Public misconceptions must be addressed, corporate initiatives expanded and industry partnerships strengthened to drive wider adoption and waste reduction. From manufacturers to consumers, stakeholders must collaborate to ensure EPS recycling becomes a standard sustainability practice, integrated into broader environmental goals.

With more than 500 drop-off locations providing the foundation, now is the time to amplify engagement, promote collaboration and redefine EPS recycling as a key pillar of continued sustainability progress.

Todd Huempfner the is vice president and general manager of Atlas Molded Products, a manufacturer of high-performance polystyrene for a variety of applications, with more than 28 years of operational and sales leadership experience in the EPS, GPS and copolymer industries. To learn more, visit www.atlasmoldedproducts.com.