In May 2019, the towns of Brockton and Hanover in Ontario reinstated their polystyrene foam recycling programs after a two-year pause. The resumption was enabled by a $9,700 grant from the Foam Recycling Coalition via the Foodservice Packaging Institute (waste360.com). This timely funding allowed each municipality to equip a local recycling depot with a Runi or Foam Cycle densifier, restoring a vital municipal service for both residents and businesses. The prior collection program, active since 2007, had stopped around 2017 when transport agreements ended.
System behind the solution
- Community drop-off: Residents and small businesses can deposit clean EPS—such as cups, takeout containers, egg cartons, meat trays, and foam packaging—at municipal depots operated by waste departments in Brockton and Hanover (waste360.com).
- Onsite densification: The introduced densifier compacts EPS into dense bricks, reducing volume by around 90:1, making transport and storage cost-effective (intcorecycling.com).
- End-market reuse: The densified bricks are sold to manufacturers for conversion into crown moulding, picture frames, spools, insulation, and concrete fillers (Recycling Today).
Municipal statements projected a reach of 17,000 local households, with plans to expand service to neighboring communities—covering over 63,000 residents (Recycling Today).
Why this matters
Brockton and Hanover’s approach highlights how relatively modest grants and proper infrastructure can reconnect EPS to circular systems. The model redeploys municipal depots as active recycling hubs, converts costly-to-landfill foam into valuable feedstock, and motivates regional waste system resilience. With only 10 previous U.S./Canada grants issued by the Foam Recycling Coalition since 2015, these towns illustrate how smaller communities can lead on EPS recovery (Recycling Today).
FACT BOX
| Item | Value |
| Relaunch | May 2019 |
| Location | Brockton & Hanover, Ontario, Canada |
| Grant | $9,700 from Foam Recycling Coalition |
| Collection points | Municipal drop-off depots |
| Equipment | EPS densifier (Runi/Foam Cycle) |
| Volume reduction | Approx. 90:1 for densified blocks |
| End uses | Mouldings, frames, spools, insulation, concrete fillers |
| Reach | Service to 17,000 residents, expand to 63,000 |
