At the Amager Ressourcecenter (ARC) in Copenhagen, Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) waste from residents and businesses no longer requires long-distance transport for processing. Instead, the material is compressed directly on-site — transforming a previously costly and low-density stream into a compact, market-ready resource.
In 2019, ARC introduced a container-based densification unit equipped with a RUNI compactor system. This initiative was designed to address both operational inefficiencies and the broader carbon impact associated with transporting lightweight EPS to centralized facilities. The result: EPS volumes are now reduced by a factor of 50 before leaving the site, and the material is sold for recycling without requiring additional off-site compression.
By tackling the challenge of EPS logistics head-on, ARC created a replicable model that merges practical waste management with material recovery — all within a footprint no larger than a standard roll-off container.
The system: Containerized compaction on location
The ARC facility receives EPS from local residents and commercial actors as part of its wider household waste collection services. Clean EPS — typically used as protective packaging in electronics and appliances — is separated at the site’s designated EPS intake point.
The specialized container, developed in collaboration with RUNI, incorporates a built-in screw compactor. As EPS is fed into the machine, it is mechanically compressed into dense blocks, reducing its volume by approximately 98%. Once full, the container’s contents are directly saleable to downstream recyclers.
The system eliminates the need to truck unprocessed EPS to distant compression hubs — a step that previously required significant fuel inputs for minimal payloads. Instead, the compressed output is stored and transported with far greater efficiency, unlocking both financial and environmental gains.
Why this matters
EPS is often excluded from municipal recycling systems due to its low bulk density and associated transport costs. This case shows how co-locating compression technology at the point of collection can transform that dynamic.
ARC’s model demonstrates three strategic principles of circular EPS handling:
- Integration: EPS processing is embedded in routine waste handling operations.
- Compression: High-volume reduction rates make transport efficient and economically viable.
- Resale: Compressed EPS becomes a tradable commodity, supporting material circularity.
More broadly, the system highlights how infrastructure choices can shift the status of EPS from a “problem material” to a viable resource stream — without relying on large-scale centralized facilities or specialized handling networks.
As national and EU-level policy discussions continue around problematic packaging and plastic pollution, cases like ARC’s show that practical solutions exist — and are already in operation.
📌 FACT BOX
| Item | Value |
| Launch | 2019 |
| Location | Copenhagen, Denmark |
| Drop-off model | EPS accepted at municipal recycling centre |
| Equipment | RUNI compactor integrated into container |
| Volume reduction | Up to 98% (1:50 compression ratio) |
| Transport efficiency | 115 uncompressed truckloads replaced by 1 |
| End use | Sold to recyclers for reprocessing |
| Partner | Amager Ressourcecenter (ARC), RUNI |
📎 Source: “Container komprimerer EPS direkte på genbrugspladsen”, PlastForum.dk, 11 June 2019
📍 Read article (Danish)
