The Plastics Industry Association Launches New Recycling Alliance to Expand Polystyrene Recycling Across U.S.
The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) has formed the Polystyrene Recycling Alliance (PSRA), to improve polystyrene recycling across the United States. The alliance brings together both the polystyrene (PS) and expandable polystyrene (EPS) industries in an effort to achieve "widely recyclable status" for polystyrene by 2030.
Polystyrene is made from styrene, a carcinogen that's derived from benzene and ethylbenzene. It comes in two forms: rigid and foam—commonly known as Styrofoam. A lot of products are made from this thermoplastic such as food containers, toys (when blended with rubber), electronics housings, building materials, plastic model assembly kits, and much more. Due to its tendency to be bulky and easily contaminated, it's not easily recyclable. Most recycling facilities also don't have the specialized equipment needed to process the material for reuse.
"This collaboration is a huge step forward for polystyrene sustainability, enabling more Americans to recycle a wide variety of polystyrene items," said Matt Seaholm, President & CEO of PLASTICS. "Polystyrene is inherently recyclable, is being recycled today, and will be recycled at a much greater scale in the future. Recycling is real, and we are proud to pursue this initiative at the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) to join the full value chain in working together to promote plastics sustainability."
The PSRA has created a comprehensive roadmap to guide this initiative. Initial data indicates that 32% of the U.S. population currently has access to recycle one or more polystyrene items. Several formats are on the brink of qualifying for a "check locally" recycling status.
"Polystyrene is an essential material that provides numerous life-enhancing benefits, and a favorable carbon footprint compared to other materials," said Richard Shaw, Chair of the Polystyrene Recycling Alliance. "Our focus is to expand end-of-life recycling options for all types of polystyrene through strategic investments and partnerships with other stakeholders committed to a circular plastics economy."
The PSRA has stated that it will establish a recycling investment and education fund to help develop and deploy innovative ways to enhance and modernize recycling systems so they can easily process polystyrene throughout North America.
"We're committed to addressing the challenges of recycling polystyrene," said Patrick Krieger, Senior Vice President, Sustainability of PLASTICS. "By collaborating with communities, material recovery facilities, and drop-off programs, we aim to significantly improve recycling access and education for polystyrene. This is just the beginning, and we are optimistic about our strategy and approach to ensure all polystyrene is recycled at scale."
To learn more about the Polystyrene Recycling Alliance, visit www.PSRecycling.org.