What You Should Do With Waste Polystyrene

Today’s post is all about polystyrene. We investigate how your company can dispose of such waste in a green, cost effective and timely manner. We will also cover the aspects of making waste polystyrene into an additional revenue stream. Keen to find out more? Read on…..

What exactly is polystyrene?

Quite simply, it’s a versatile plastic made into a foam type material. It’s a popular choice for manufacturing companies as it cushions and insulates products for sale. Surprisingly, its composition can be up to 98% air.

Who uses polystyrene?

At a guess, we would say ‘you do’, if you are reading this blog! On a serious note, many companies make use of this material. It’s ideal for insulating and keeping appliances safe. Further uses include food merchants and warehouse distribution centers.

For some, waste is likely to be minimal. Other companies however will have huge quantities to dispose of, some even on a daily basis.

If you generate more than one skip a week of loose polystyrene, an EPS compactor is definitely worth it. You can actually make money from recycling polystyrene!

But how?

Using a polystyrene compactor is not only a space-saving, environmentally, money saving option. By compacting waste into manageable bales/blocks, these can be sold on to recycling companies who will put them to good use. Rates currently vary between £300-£600 per tonne for compacted polystyrene, depending on quantity

So, you are a company and have vast amounts of polystyrene. Let’s go through Greenbank’s EPS’s Compactors.

SC1000: A low maintenance option that can handle both wet and dry polystyrene. The Sc1000 is easy to operate and has an average compaction ratio of 40:1.

SC2000: This option has the capability of compacting large amounts of material, handling up to 90kg of EPS per hour (density depending). Also low maintenance and easy on space, the SC2000 has easy to touch screen controls.

SC3000: The largest of the three mentioned models, the SC3000 will handle up to 250kg of EPS per hour. Easy to use, this machine works quickly and effectively.

If as a company, polystyrene contributes to large volumes of waste, an EPS compactor is by far the best option. Low maintenance features mean the job of loading is not an arduous task and can be carried out quickly and effectively. The end result offers a sellable bale.

How much can I sell a bale for?

This is something you will need to research, but on average you can make between £300 – £600/tonne. Based on the weight mentioned, this will confirm as to whether or not compacting is a feasible option for you.

Why not discuss polystyrene compactors further with our experts? We have a wide industry knowledge and are ready to help companies take the next steps towards recycling and additional revenue streams.