Tag: Recycling Cases

The U.S. Plastics Pact has removed expanded polystyrene transport packaging from its Problematic & Unnecessary Materials List after reviewing evidence of recycling at scale. It is the first packaging format to be removed from the list since its establishment. The decision applies specifically to moulded EPS transport packaging used to protect durable goods, temperature-sensitive products

The range of available recycling pathways is a central factor in determining how effectively materials can be integrated into a circular economy. Recent developments in dissolution-based recycling technologies for polystyrene (PS) suggest that additional options may be emerging—particularly for waste streams that have traditionally been difficult to recycle. One example is the commercial-scale launch of

RecyClass, a cross-industry initiative based in Brussels, has released its latest update to the Design for Recycling Guidelines, this time explicitly including EPS packaging—such as fish boxes and white goods—in both the guidelines and the associated Recyclability Evaluation Protocols (RecyClass, petnology.com). These refinements are based on 18 independent testing campaigns conducted in 2024. They examine

Polystyrene recycling in North London saw a remarkable 56% increase during 2024–25, rising from 6.87 tonnes to 10.74 tonnes—a shift driven by enhanced infrastructure and public engagement at NLWA’s reuse and recycling centres (RRCs) (nlwa.gov.uk). Over the same period, residents delivered 7,000 more tonnes of reusable and recyclable material—a volume equivalent to nearly 438 double-decker buses—to RRCs,

New Zealand generates around 5,000 tonnes of EPS packaging annually—yet 77 % currently ends up in landfill or as environmental leakage, due to limited collection systems and low recovery rates (sustainabilitymatters.net.au). Addressing this, Plastics New Zealand has released two strategic reports targeting EPS and construction‑plastics waste through practical infrastructure improvements and sector coordination. Auckland alone sends approximately 25,000

In early 2025, the Aarhus municipality reported that 69 tonnes of EPS (commonly known as “flamingo”) had been collected from its recycling centres and routed for processing—yielding an estimated 350 tonnes of CO₂ savings compared to incineration. Each kilogram of collected EPS represents a climate benefit: recovering white EPS saves approximately 5 kg CO₂, while coloured variants save

Helsingør Municipality continues to scale its household recycling performance — and for the first time, expanded polystyrene (EPS) is now formally included in its recycling system. In 2024, local waste authority Forsyning Helsingør added EPS (known locally as flamingo) to the accepted material streams at two key municipal recycling centres. Recycling infrastructure expands According to

In recent years, the University of Manchester has integrated expanded polystyrene (EPS) recycling into its campus environmental services—formally acknowledging EPS as a distinct material stream and providing clear staff-facing guidance and infrastructure to support its capture. A dedicated Polystyrene Recycling Guide, available on the university website, outlines which EPS items are accepted (e.g., packaging boxes)