A new peer-reviewed study mapping expanded polystyrene flows in China shows that recycled EPS is becoming a significant source of material supply.
Published in Cell Reports Sustainability in September 2026, the study reports that China produced 3.94 million tonnes of EPS in 2023. Recycled EPS accounted for 28% of total EPS supply, up from 25% in 2022.
The 28% figure measures recycled-material uptake: the proportion of EPS supply coming from recycled material. It is not the percentage of EPS waste that was recycled.
The researchers separately examined post-consumer EPS waste. Incineration accounted for 49% of that waste stream, showing that substantial quantities of EPS are still lost from recycling loops.
Recycled material at significant scale
China sits at the centre of the global EPS supply chain and is the world’s largest producer of EPS. The study therefore provides evidence that recycled EPS already supplies a meaningful share of material demand in a major global market.
At the same time, the end-of-life figures demonstrate substantial potential for further circularity.
The case highlights two different dimensions of recycling systems: how much EPS waste is recovered and how much recycled EPS finds its way back into material supply. Both are important measures of circularity, but they answer different questions.
Source
Cell Reports Sustainability. “Uncovering China’s Expanded Polystyrene Flows and Stocks to Promote Global Circular Economy Practices.” Published online 21 September 2026.
Read the original study on ScienceDirect
