In Birkerød, Denmark, municipal waste authority Norfors has opened a facility to collect and compact expanded polystyrene (EPS) — a practical first step toward local EPS recycling. Long sent to incineration, clean white EPS packaging can now be delivered to the site by both households and companies for densification and onward recycling.
The new site includes a compactor, on-site container, and weather-protected storage unit. It was inaugurated in the presence of Rudersdal mayor Jens Ive and Environmental Committee Chair Court Møller, who both emphasized the system’s environmental relevance.
Local drop-off, measurable climate gain
EPS is 98% air and 2% polystyrene — and when clean, it can be recycled almost indefinitely. Norfors’ new system enables that by removing logistical barriers. The material is compacted at source, reducing volume drastically and making transport to downstream recyclers both economical and efficient.
According to EPS-branchen, part of the Danish plastics industry:
- Recycling EPS avoids 3.3 kg of CO₂ per kg compared to incineration.
- Recycled EPS has 40% lower emissions than virgin EPS.
- Transport emissions are also reduced significantly due to volume compression.
From packaging to circular product
The recovered EPS is sent to processing facilities in Jutland and elsewhere, where it is recycled into:
- New EPS products
- Other plastic goods such as garden chairs, hangers, and flower trays
Norfors stresses that clean white EPS is now a globally traded secondary material, with growing demand and rising resale prices. The new site ensures that this value is no longer lost to energy recovery.
Both citizens and local companies are encouraged to deliver clean EPS directly to the Birkerød facility — a small but significant local step toward wider EPS circularity.
FACT BOX
| Item | Value |
| Location | Birkerød, Rudersdal Municipality, Denmark |
| Launch | November 2021 |
| Facility type | EPS compaction with storage |
| Accepted material | Clean white EPS packaging |
| End use | Recycled into new EPS goods and plastic items |
| Reported savings | 3.3 kg CO₂ avoided/kg vs. incineration |
| Operator | Norfors |
Source:
“Nyt anlæg i Birkerød – første skridt til genanvendelse af flamingo”,
Allan Malmberg, Emballagefokus, 23 November 2021
https://www.emballagefokus.dk/nyt-anlaeg-i-birkeroed-foerste-skridt-til-genanvendelse-af-flamingo
