More and more people recycle polystyrene. This helps to reduce the need for landfill and more costly forms of disposal. Recycling polystyrene also reduces the need for extracting, refining and processing raw materials all of which create substantial air and water pollution. This helps to save energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping to tackle climate change.

The environmental impact of polystyrene recycling

Whilst recycled materials are beneficial assets in the globally market as well as are financially vital; recycling polystyrene benefits the environment too. It makes best use of our limited natural resources.

Recycling is a real success tale and also we need be proud of what we have achieved as a nation-- but there is still far more we can do.

In 2021-22 over 5 million tons of polystyrene waste was collected by local councils. Of this: 50% of this waste was sent to landfill, 37% was recycled and 12% was incinerated for energy recovery.

Three polystyrene recycling misunderstandings

"Expanded polystyrene is not recyclable"

Expanded polystyrene is 100% recyclable. It is recycled and upgraded in various brand new products such as: packaging products, insulation boards, greenhouse products, large blocks, etc. There is a growing market for expanded polystyrene recycling in Australia. Parts made from this material can easily be dropped at your local ecocentre or at some collection points. Now, some cities even accept it in the bin: check with your council! Once recycled, it can be reused in the manufacturing of other products from large blocks, to stuffed products, or rigid plastic parts. Recycled products may also be returned on the market as raw material.

"There is no point polystyrene recycling, it doesn't make a difference"

Recycling stops tonnes of polystyrene waste being buried in landfill. In the Australia, recycling polystyrene saves about 2 million tonnes of carbon emissions a year, the equivalent of taking 10 million cars off the road.

"Shipping of non-compacted polystyrene to recycling plants is too expensive"

Over the years, GREENMAX has established great relationships with its customers in order to offer recycling service for non-compacted polystyrene following the delivery of our machines at their plant. However, expanded polystyrene contains 98% air, making bulk transport extremely expensive. Over the past decade, many companies around the world have chosen the GREENMAX polystyrene hot melting machine: crushing and melting polystyrene into dense ingots for shipping.

There are many myths about polystyrene recycling. Why not continue to explore our website to find out more. If you have any questions about polystyrene recycling, please contact us immediately.