I think we’re all in agreement that trying to recycle Syrofoam is a pain. With the holiday season coming, there’s bound to be an avalanche of this material surrounding our gifts and arriving at our doorsteps. Not even my huge recycling facility takes that stuff, so I had to dig a little deeper. It seems that polystyrene’s blessings are also a curse. Its light weight and durability make it such a great packaging material, but also give it a low scrap value. Currently in the USA, expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam packaging is being recycled at a rate of only about 10-12% each year.

Image: Flickr/Kai Hendry

Styrofoam is only one name for polystyrene plastic, and is a Dow Chemical Co. trademarked form of polystyrene foam insulation. Polystyrene is made from styrene, a petroleum by-product. Styrene was first commercially produced during World War II in the production of synthetic rubber. Only about five percent of a foam package is polystyrene, and the rest is air. Part of what makes food containers, for example, so difficult to recycle is that they are generally contaminated and require cleaning before they can be processed. Unfortunately, this makes recycling less cost effective. For more information visit the Polystyrene Packaging Council.

Thankfully, Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers is a great resource for finding out where to drop off or mail your Styrofoam. Their collection system relies on EPS manufacturers to serve as recycling locations, allowing AFPR members reprocess up to 60% of the post consumer foam collected and incorporate it directly into new packaging. Expanded polystyrene has a National Mail-Back Program if drop-off sites are not available. Check it out to read their mail-back recommendations and see if you can find a location near you, or call 1-800-944-8448. American Chemistry also provides a resource to search by zip code to find a company near you that will actually buy back protective polystyrene packaging from you.

Blue Earth Solutions has developed the Styrosolve process, about which I’ve only begun to start reading. Basically, they grind up products such as packing peanuts and coffee cups and mix them with solvents to remove the compressed gases. It’s a non-toxic process that produces polystyrene pellets that are then reused in packaging for various appliances and electronics. There’s also some places that sell other solvents for breaking down Styrofoam and turning it into glue for around the house. I’m not as sure about this one, but it seemed interesting: Dissolve Styrofoam. I can’t imagine it not being somewhat toxic, so it would be interesting to see if anyone has had any experience with this.

And last but not least--I found the Peanut Hotline. This is not a number for circus elephants in distress (sorry), but rather a great way to reuse your packaging materials. The Plastic Loose Fill Council promotes reuse of polystyrene, or packing peanuts. The Council's Peanut Hotline is a national, 24-hour consumer hotline and website directory service with referrals to the nearest locations that accept packing peanuts for reuse. Call the Peanut Hotline: 1-800-828-2214.

Many local businesses gladly accept peanuts free of charge for reuse, so look into Postal Annex and Mail Boxes Etc. Any small business that ships frequently is a good bet. Try and give a little to the planet this season-- don't let your Styrofoam end up in a landfill!

Leave a note in the comments if you know a local merchant that collects peanuts.