EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE (EPS)
12,000 tonnes of EPS is sent to landfill each year in NSW alone, filling up around 240,000 cubic metres landfill space1 — about the same as filling 96 olympic sized swimming pools with polystyrene2. This same space in landfill could take 31,440 tonnes of garbage.3
EPS in landfill Landfill space is finite and therefore needs to be used wisely. As the cost of landfilling our waste continues to increase, it becomes more important to divert as much waste away from landfill through recycling. Markets exist for recycled EPS which makes it a valuable material for use new products — it makes sense to recycle it. However, in 2011, less than 10% of used EPS was recycled in NSW.4
NSW EPA EPS Recycling Project
For further information Contact your local Council
NSW EPA, in partnership with the Australian Packaging Covenant, has provided grants worth a total of $933,000 to 19 organisations as part of a project to increase the recycling rates of EPS in NSW. These grants have been used to purchase equipment to collect and reduce the volume of EPS so that it can be transported more cost effectively to recyclers.5 The project aims to collect and process an additional 1,000 tonnes (59,000 cubic metres) of EPS each year.
EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE (EPS)
Five savings of recycling EPS 1. Space in kerbside bins. This leaves more room for waste that can’t be recycled. 2. Money. Recycling polystyrene can mean a reduction the frequency and cost of garbage disposal for businesses. 3. Resources. Recycled polystyrene can be manufactured into a wide range of products, reducing the demand for virgin products. Plus it is more energy efficient to make products from recycled materials. 4. Landfill space. Sending less EPS to landfill means landfills will last longer, reducing the demand for new landfill space. 5. Environment. EPS recycling should reduce the amount of EPS litter which ends up featuring in the Australian landscape and our waterways.
References 1. NSW EPA. (2012). Expanded polystyrene recycling Retrieved 08/12/2012, from http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/waste/EPSrecycling.htm 2. Based on 2500 cubic metres. 3. NSW EPA (2012b). NSW EPA WRAPP conversion 2001. Retrieved from www. environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/.../spd_ob_wastedensitycalculator.nsw.gov.au 4. Ibid, NSW EPA. (2012). 5. Ibid, NSW EPA. (2012).
To find your local EPS drop-off recycling centre visit www.recyclingnearyou.com.au
HOW EPS IS MADE Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Expanded Polystyrene (abbreviated to EPS) is widely used in product packaging and construction because it is lightweight, strong and has good insulating properties. It can reduce the cost of transporting goods to consumers, which in turn reduces greenhouse gas emissions associated with goods transport.
Issues with EPS • It is very bulky so it fills up garbage bins very easily • It can end up as litter in our environment, including waterways • It can’t be recycled in kerbside bins – including through yellow lid bins and commercial collections • It takes up space in landfill and takes a long time to break down because it is a petrochemical based plastic
1
2
Styrene to polystyrene
Expanded polystyrene (EPS)
Polystyrene a polymer made from a chemical called styrene, a petrochemical derivative. Styrene is a simple, short chained molecule or monomer. A monomer is heated under pressure using a catalyst to form a long chain or polymer. Polystyrene is the polymer formed from styrene through this process. In its unexpanded form, polystyrene is a hard, brittle plastic used widely to make moulded products like bottles, plant pots, rulers and CD cases. Polystyrene can be clear, white or coloured.
EPS is made by applying steam to tiny beads of polystyrene, which have been impregnated with small amounts of pentane. As the beads heat up, the pentane expands. This causes the beads to swell to about 50 times their original size. These EPS beads are then molded into the shape required for their end use.
HOW EPS IS RECYCLED 1
4
2
5 3
EPS has many uses in packaging and building products
Clean white EPS
Heat compactor and extruder
Processed Compacted for transport
Recycling EPS
Clean white EPS
Waste EPS can be recycled into a range of polystyrene products, including office accessories, plant pots, photo frames and more. It can also be used to replace some of the aggregate in concrete to create a light-weight concrete (e.g. pavers).
The best recycling results are achieved from clean white EPS packaging. If EPS is dirty, wet, marked and/or mixed with other materials it is more difficult to recycle, and there are fewer markets for the end product.
Material for new products
Help us by separating your EPS from cardboard boxes and removing any stickers and/or plastic wrap before you bring it to the Drop-off Facility.
EPS in landfill Landfill space is finite and therefore needs to be used wisely. As the cost of landfilling our waste continues to increase, it becomes more important to divert as much waste away from landfill through recycling. Markets exist for recycled EPS which makes it a valuable material for use new products — it makes sense to recycle it. However, in 2011, less than 10% of used EPS was recycled in NSW.4
NSW EPA EPS Recycling Project
For further information Contact your local Council
NSW EPA, in partnership with the Australian Packaging Covenant, has provided grants worth a total of $933,000 to 19 organisations as part of a project to increase the recycling rates of EPS in NSW. These grants have been used to purchase equipment to collect and reduce the volume of EPS so that it can be transported more cost effectively to recyclers.5 The project aims to collect and process an additional 1,000 tonnes (59,000 cubic metres) of EPS each year.
EXPANDED POLYSTYRENE (EPS)
Five savings of recycling EPS 1. Space in kerbside bins. This leaves more room for waste that can’t be recycled. 2. Money. Recycling polystyrene can mean a reduction the frequency and cost of garbage disposal for businesses. 3. Resources. Recycled polystyrene can be manufactured into a wide range of products, reducing the demand for virgin products. Plus it is more energy efficient to make products from recycled materials. 4. Landfill space. Sending less EPS to landfill means landfills will last longer, reducing the demand for new landfill space. 5. Environment. EPS recycling should reduce the amount of EPS litter which ends up featuring in the Australian landscape and our waterways.
References 1. NSW EPA. (2012). Expanded polystyrene recycling Retrieved 08/12/2012, from http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/waste/EPSrecycling.htm 2. Based on 2500 cubic metres. 3. NSW EPA (2012b). NSW EPA WRAPP conversion 2001. Retrieved from www. environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/.../spd_ob_wastedensitycalculator.nsw.gov.au 4. Ibid, NSW EPA. (2012). 5. Ibid, NSW EPA. (2012).
To find your local EPS drop-off recycling centre visit www.recyclingnearyou.com.au
HOW EPS IS MADE Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Expanded Polystyrene (abbreviated to EPS) is widely used in product packaging and construction because it is lightweight, strong and has good insulating properties. It can reduce the cost of transporting goods to consumers, which in turn reduces greenhouse gas emissions associated with goods transport.
Issues with EPS • It is very bulky so it fills up garbage bins very easily • It can end up as litter in our environment, including waterways • It can’t be recycled in kerbside bins – including through yellow lid bins and commercial collections • It takes up space in landfill and takes a long time to break down because it is a petrochemical based plastic
1
2
Styrene to polystyrene
Expanded polystyrene (EPS)
Polystyrene a polymer made from a chemical called styrene, a petrochemical derivative. Styrene is a simple, short chained molecule or monomer. A monomer is heated under pressure using a catalyst to form a long chain or polymer. Polystyrene is the polymer formed from styrene through this process. In its unexpanded form, polystyrene is a hard, brittle plastic used widely to make moulded products like bottles, plant pots, rulers and CD cases. Polystyrene can be clear, white or coloured.
EPS is made by applying steam to tiny beads of polystyrene, which have been impregnated with small amounts of pentane. As the beads heat up, the pentane expands. This causes the beads to swell to about 50 times their original size. These EPS beads are then molded into the shape required for their end use.
HOW EPS IS RECYCLED 1
4
2
5 3
EPS has many uses in packaging and building products
Clean white EPS
Heat compactor and extruder
Processed Compacted for transport
Recycling EPS
Clean white EPS
Waste EPS can be recycled into a range of polystyrene products, including office accessories, plant pots, photo frames and more. It can also be used to replace some of the aggregate in concrete to create a light-weight concrete (e.g. pavers).
The best recycling results are achieved from clean white EPS packaging. If EPS is dirty, wet, marked and/or mixed with other materials it is more difficult to recycle, and there are fewer markets for the end product.
Material for new products
Help us by separating your EPS from cardboard boxes and removing any stickers and/or plastic wrap before you bring it to the Drop-off Facility.
