They Say It Can't Be Recycled

CROFTON, Md., March 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Expanded polystyrene (EPS) packaging, while often targeted by environmental groups, is at the forefront of recycling – providing education, creating new technologies and upgrading existing programs.  Since 2013, the efforts of these groups and organizations are celebrated with the EPS Excellence in Recycling Award.

From the U.S. and Canada, this year's candidates represent the best in technological and sustainable achievement in EPS recycling across North America.  Award nominees include:

• Agilyx Corporation from Tigard, Oregon, for developing the first commercial pyrolysis system for EPS;
• Alpine Waste & Recycling from Denver, Colorado, for accepting curbside EPS and issuing an automated sustainability report to keep the general public in the loop;
• Colchester County, Nova Scotia, for upgrading their material recovery facility to accept EPS;
• Demand Products in Alpharetta, Georgia, for creating a hydraulic pressure EPS compacting machine to produce more consistent densified EPS;  
• Foam Cycle LLC in Augusta, New Jersey, for their patent-pending reprocessing system to meet EPS recycling needs at the local level;
• Mansonville Plastics Group out of Surrey, British Columbia, who increased awareness about EPS recycling and reuse and for bringing attention to EPS recycling at a federal level in Canada; and
• Plastilite Corporation in Omaha, Nebraska, for working with the Henry Doorly Zoo by organizing a multi-faceted event to collect and publicize EPS as well as educate the public.

Despite recent product bans and corporate announcements to eliminate foam plastics, recycling of EPS continues to grow. While bans are heavily publicized and cited as 'green initiatives', they tend to disregard the benefits of EPS which include a lower carbon footprint and reduced weight and fuel consumption.  Those who head the bans routinely fail to provide metrics on the environmental tradeoffs for alternative materials or establish evidence that environmental benefits were actually achieved by their use. EPS as a material is very recyclable, and more locations that can process EPS are opening on a regular basis.

The award will be judged not only on the innovations themselves, but also on the impact each initiative has contributed to EPS waste management improvements. The judges for this year's award include Nina Goodrich, Executive Director of GreenBlue, Brenda Pulley, Vice President of Recycling for Keep America Beautiful, Lisa McTigue Pierce, Executive Editor of Packaging Digest, and Patty Moore, President and CEO of Moore Recycling Associates, Inc.

Misperceptions are still rampant when it comes to EPS, but this award proves that there are those that are committed to make the world a better place by using the best material for the job.  The winner of the 2017 Excellence in EPS Recycling award will be announced at the upcoming EPS EXPO 2017 in Charleston, South Carolina.

Links to videos and additional information on the nominees:

• Agilyx Corporation
• Alpine Waste & Recycling
• Colchester County, Nova Scotia
• Foam Cycle, LLC
• Mansonville Plastics Group
• Plastilite Corporation

For more information, please contact Betsy Bowers at 800-607-3772, [email protected], or visit www.epsindustry.org.

SOURCE EPS Industry Alliance

Related Links

http://www.epsindustry.org