Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers - EPS Meets the Challenge

A: Expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam packaging is the familiar white material that cushions, insulates and protects all types of products during distribution. This includes custom shaped material used to package electronic equipment and appliances, loose fill packaging often called "peanuts", blocks of foam which protect furniture and appliances and shipping containers used to help preserve perishable foods and medicines.

A: In July of 1991, more than 80 companies, representing every major manufacturer of EPS protective foam packaging, their raw material suppliers and equipment manufacturers, joined together to form the Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers. AFPR works to facilitate EPS recycling between EPS manufacturers and original equipment manufacturers. AFPR members also provide community drop-off services at their manufacturing facilities. Currently, more than 110 plants’ locations serve as collection centers which together receive millions of pounds of post-consumer foam packaging each year.

A: AFPR members share the concerns of its customers and the public about solid waste and the conservation of natural resources. Expanded polystyrene foam packaging is an economical, efficient and valuable material which can be recycled and reused in foam packaging or durable consumer goods. Working with independent recycling businesses and others, the Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers has created a network for the collection, reprocessing and reuse of foam packaging. Because this collection system relies on EPS manufacturers to serve as recycling locations, drop-off sites are not available in all areas.

A: AFPR member plants act as central collection points for foam packaging. We work directly with our industrial customers, retailers and communities to provide economically viable opportunities for EPS recycling. AFPR provides a packaging insert to original equipment manufacturers which they can place in their packages. This insert explains the advantages of EPS foam packaging and how it can be recycled. The insert encourages consumers to recycle and provides a toll-free number so they can identify the nearest collection center. The toll-free number is 1-800-944-8448.

A: With over 110 plants located throughout the United States, EPS manufacturers can recycle post-consumer material from various retail or industrial sources. Consumers interested in recycling foam packaging should contact their local recycling coordinator and ask them to get involved. Or, give us a call directly and we’ll send you additional information along with complete details on what EPS recycling opportunities may exist in your area.

Additional Resources - US
American Plastics Council 1667 K Street NW Suite 1000 Washington, DC 20006-1620 Phone: 202-974-5200 www.plasticsindustry.org	Foodservice & Packaging Institute 1901 N. Moore Street Suite 1111 Arlington, VA 22209 Phone: 703-527-7505 www.fpi.org

Global Recycling Network 2715A Montauk Highway Brookhaven, NY 11719 Phone: 314-361-3622 www.grn.com	Institute of Packaging Professionals 481 Carlisle Drive Herndon, VA 22070-4823 Phone: 703-318-8970 www.packinfo-world.org

International Safe Transit Association 1400 Abbott Road East Lansing, MI 48823 Phone: 517-333-3437 www.ista.org	National Recycling Coalition 1727 King Street, Suite 105 Alexandria, VA 22314 Phone: 703-683-9025 www.nrc-recycle.org

Plastic Loosefill Council P.O. Box 21040 Oakland, CA 94620 Phone: 1-800-828-2214 www.loosefillpackaging.com	Polystyrene Packaging Council, Inc. 1300 Wilson Blvd, 13th Floor Arlington, VA 22209 Phone: 703-741-5649 www.polystyrene.org

Praxiom, ISO 9000 Resource 9619 – 100 A Street Edmonton, Alberta T5K 0V7 Canada Phone: 780-461-4514 www.praxiom.com	Recycle America Alliance 125 Baylis Road Melville, NY 11747 Phone: 631-756-0095 Fax: 631-756-1064 www.recycleallianceamerica

Society of Plastics Engineers 14 Fairfield Drive PO Box 403 Brookfield, CT 06804 Phone: 203-775-0471 www.4spe.org	Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. 1801 K Street, NW Suite 600K Washington, DC 20006 Phone: 202-974-5200 www.socplas.org

Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) PO Box 7219 8750 Georgia Avenue Suite 140 Silver Spring, MD 20910-7219 Phone: 301-585-2898 www.swana.org	U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Ariel Rios Building 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC 20460 Solid Waste Hotline Phone: 1-800-424-9346 (In Washington, DC call 202-382-3000) www.epa.gov
International Resources
Canadian Plastics Industry Association 5925 Airport Road Mississauga, ON L4V 1W1 Phone: 905-678-7748 www.plastics.ca	Canadian Polystyrene Reycling Association 7595 Tranmere Drive Mississauga, Ontario L5S 1L4 Phone: 905-612-8290 www.cpra-canada.com

International EPS Alliance www.epsrecycling.org	World EPS www.worldeps.com
Packaging Schools
California Polytechnic State University Industrial Technology San Luis Obispo, CA 93407 Phone: 805-756-1111 http://www.calpoly.edu/	Clemson University Department of Packaging Science Dr. Jorge Marcondes Clemson, SC 29634 Phone: 846-656-2229 jorgem@clemson.edu

Indiana State University Industrial & Mechanical Technology Dept. John T. Myers Technology Center Terre Haute, IN 47809 Phone: 812-237-3353 http://www.indstate.edu/home.htm	Michigan State University School of Packaging East Lansing, MI 48824-1223 Phone: 517-353-4384 www.pkg.msu.edu

Mohawk College Packaging Management & Technology Brantford, Ontario, Canada Phone: 519-758-6084 http://www.mohawkcollege.ca/	Rochester Institute of Technology One Lomb Memorial Drive Rochester, NY 14623-5603 Phone: 585-475-2411 http://www.rit.edu/

Rutgers University 83 Rockafeller Road Piscataway, NJ 08854-8053 Phone: 732-463-8197 http://www.rutgers.edu/	San Jose State University School of Packaging One Washington Square San Jose, CA 95192 408-924-3210 www.sjsu.edu

Santa Clara University Department of Mechanical Engineering 500 El Camino Real Santa Clara, CA 95053 408-554-4937 www.scu.edu	University of Cincinnati College of Applied Science 2220 Victory Parkway Cincinnati, OH 45206-2839 Phone: 513-556-6567 http://www.uc.edu/cas/

University of Florida at Gainesville 1080 SW 11th Street Gainesville, FL 32611 Phone: 352-392-7724 http://www.ufl.edu/	University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 1401 West Green Street Urbana, IL 61801 Phone: 217-333-4666 http://www.uiuc.edu/

Missouri University of Science & Technology Rolla, MO 65409 Phone: 573-341-4111 http://www.mst.edu/	University of Wisconsin-Stout 712 South Broadway Street Menomonie, WI 54751 Phone: 715-232-1122 http://www.uwstout.edu/

Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College 1019 S. Knowles Avenue New Richmond, WI Phone: 715-246-6561 www.witc.tec.wi.us
Publications
Modern Plastics 110 William Street New York, NY Phone: 212-621-4900 www.modplas.com

Plastics News 1725 Merriman Road Akron, OH 44313 Phone: 330-836-9180 www.plasticsnews.com	Recycler's World RecycleNet Corporation 175 East 400 South, #900 Salt Lake City, UT 84111 Phone: 801-531-0404 http://www.recycle.net/