"It's designated by the plastic recycling code #6 PS, which (in unexpanded form) you'll find in plastic cups and CD and DVD cases. Here's a sobering fact: Americans dump approximately 1,500 tons of polystyrene in landfills daily, and less than 1% of it is recycled. That recycling rate is particularly disheartening when you consider that EPS is 98% air, making it technically recyclable-yet most communities lack the equipment and infrastructure to process it economically."
"Even if your community recycles plastic #6, it may not accept expanded polystyrene. That's because EPS is an end product, and you can't un-expand the plastic resin. However, facilities that are equipped to process EPS can grind it for use in other applications. Polyethylene foam is technically recyclable, but may not be accepted locally because the recyclers lack the equipment to process it."
Expanded polystyrene (EPS) serves many uses including food containers, packaging, insulation, and protective gear, and carries recycling code #6 PS. Americans discard roughly 1,500 tons of polystyrene daily, with under 1% recycled. EPS is about 98% air, making it lightweight by weight but bulky by volume, so it fills landfill space and does not biodegrade. EPS cannot be un-expanded, so only specialized facilities that grind the material can repurpose it. Several states have enacted bans on various EPS products due to persistence and microplastic concerns. Recycling markets and novel solutions are emerging despite infrastructure gaps.
Read at Earth911
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