Recycling of EPS Insulation Board

Polystyrene's more familiar form: packing peanuts.

EPS or expanded polystrene provides homes with insulation, padding for a bicycle helmet and to-go containers for food. While technically a type of plastic---plastic #6---EPS products of all sizes can be tricky to recycle. It's less commonly recycled municipally than other type of plastic. If you've recently replaced your EPS insulation, recycling is better than landfill disposal but you'll have to do some legwork to find local recyclers. Choose the option that is convenient for you.

Instructions

1. Call your town's recycling department and ask whether they recycle plastic #6. If the answer is yes, find out whether you can recycle EPS insulation. Since the product takes up so much space, towns tend to limit recycling, Earth911 notes. However, if your town lets you recycle EPS as plastic #6, get rid of your insulation in their suggested manner.

2. Search for recyclers near you that will accept EPS by typing in "polystyrene" plus your zip code in the Earth911 search box. View open facilities near you by name and call a location near you to find out their open hours. Then bring your EPS insulation to their facility for recycling.

3. Break the insulation panels into small pieces with your hand or by cutting them with scissors. Then package them into a shipping box and mail them to the Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers, who recycle all types of plastic #6.

   Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers

   1298 Cronson Boulevard, Suite 201

   Crofton, MD 21114

   410-451-8340

References

• Haswel Technologies: Questions & Answers on EPS Recycling
• Earth911: Recycling Mystery--Expanded Polystrene

Resources

• Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers: What is EPS?
• Earth911: Search