Beyond bottles, film and containers, many communities are recycling other plastics, such as protective packaging, bulky rigids, foodservice packaging, pallets and drums.
Bulky rigids include:
- Carts
- Crates
- Buckets
- Toys
- Lawn furniture
Polystyrene (#6) Plastic Foam
Technology exists to recycle expanded polystyrene foam (EPS). In fact, 22% of California households are recycling EPS foodservice cups, plates, bowls, clamshells and other containers at curbside (that’s more than eight million people).
Resources
- Grant Program Sparks Interest and Improvements in Residential Foam Recycling (applications due March 16, 2015!) (Foodservice Packaging Institute)
- Unlocking the EPS Recovery Potential: Technologies Enabling Efficient Collection and Recovery (SPI: The Plastics Industry)
- PS: Think Recycling, How to Implement and Administer a Successful Polystyrene Recycling Program (EPS Industry Alliance)
- EPS Recycling Gaining Momentum (PlasticFoodServiceFacts.org)
- How To Include Foam #6 In Municipal Recycling Program (Dart Container)
- Recycling Polystyrene and Expanded Polystyrene: An Informative Video from the Waste Sleuth (Moore Recycling Associates and Dart Container)
Learn more about Energy Recovery