Polystyrene Recycling Alliance Established to Improve Recycling Access
Alliance aimed at achieving widely recyclable status.
The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) has announced the formation of the which aims at improving polystyrene recycling across the United States. This is a collaborative effort uniting the polystyrene (PS) and expandable polystyrene (EPS) industries together with a diverse group of stakeholders from brands, converters and recyclers, united by a shared goal: achieving “widely recyclable status” for polystyrene.
Widely recyclable status is interpreted to mean that 60% of curbside collection or drop-off programs accept a product format.
“This collaboration is a huge step forward for polystyrene sustainability, enabling more Americans to recycle a wide variety of polystyrene items,” says Matt Seaholm, president and CEO at PLASTICS. “Polystyrene is inherently recyclable, is being recycled today and will be recycled at much greater scale in the future.”
In partnership with experts at Resource Recycling Systems (RRS), the PSRA established a to guide this initiative. According to the PSRA, initial data indicates that 32% of the U.S. population currently has access to recycle one or more polystyrene items. Several formats are on the brink of qualifying for a “check locally” recycling status. Furthermore, with ongoing and planned industry investments in recycling capacity, PSRA expects recycling access for several polystyrene formats and applications to approach “widely recyclable status” by 2030.
Polystyrene Recycling Alliances is aimed at increasing access to recycling for polystyrene items.
Source: Plastics Industry Association.
“Polystyrene is an essential material that provides numerous life-enhancing benefits, and a favorable carbon footprint compared to other materials,” says Richard Shaw, chair of the Polystyrene Recycling Alliance. “Our focus is to expand end-of-life recycling options for all types of polystyrene through strategic investments and partnerships with other stakeholders committed to a circular plastics economy.”
To support these initiatives, the PSRA will establish a recycling investment and education fund aimed at expanding polystyrene recycling throughout North America. These investments will seek to develop and deploy innovative ways to enhance and modernize recycling systems.
“By collaborating with communities, material recovery facilities and drop-off programs, we aim to significantly improve recycling access and education for polystyrene. This is just the beginning, and we are optimistic about our strategy and approach to ensure all polystyrene is recycled at scale,” says Patrick Krieger, senior vice president, sustainability of PLASTICS.
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