Ways to Recycle Styrofoam or Expanded Polystyrene Styrofoam is a very useful material, which is used in disposable foam cups, plates, glasses, bowls and egg cartons. Also known as Expanded Polystyrene or EPS, Styrofoam offers a great ease in many industrial processes, household operations, and everyday routines. Rooms and homes are soundproofed, and car and bike helmets are made shock-resistant with Styrofoam. This material is principally used in buildings to create insulation, however, in some parts of the world is it prohibited. Styrofoam has eased the human life to a greater extent. Conversely, even after utilities, this cheap, lightweight material is a highly polluting, and when dumped in landfills, it takes hundreds of years to decompose completely, and causes a great harm to the quality of soil. This, hence, becomes important to recycle and reuse it, and not to send it to landfills. There are a number of ways to recycle and reuse Styrofoam that may include: sending it to a recycling plant; dropping it at waste collection points; or setting up your own collection points; or for users, reusing the foam intelligently for some other purpose. Send it to a recycling plant – Recycling plants collect EPS waste from various sources. They use Styrofoam recycling machines to crush, wash and compact the waste, and re-prepare the Styrofoam blocks that are used by diverse purposes by industries, manufacturers, and other dependent businesses. If yours is a distant locality that has no drop point for Styrofoam, you can consider starting your own drop off unit, by partnering with local businesses and nearby recycling facility. As an EPS waste collection point, your responsibility will be to ensure the quality and condition of the scraps, which you are sending to recycling plant. Here are a few points to have in mind, while collecting or recycling the Styrofoam –
There are different recycling machines and processes for different materials. It is important to keep the recyclables in separate sections, away from other materials. Keep them safely. EPS is an extremely inflammable material, thereby, you must make sure that they are away from hazardous conditions. Additionally, some chemicals can also ignite them, so, you need to make certain that the EPS wastes at your collection point or recycling plant are kept safely. You also need to distinguish whether the EPS that you have received is the real EPS. There are different types and mixed compositions of Styrofoam, which may not be suitable for recycling. Invest in machines that have been designed and produced by a reliable manufacturer. For the recycling of Styrofoam, machines like EPS crusher,
compactor, washing and dewatering, and densifier machines are used. Evidently, if you are intended to set up your EPS recycling plant, you need to find a crusher, compactor, washing and dewatering machine manufacturer, who holds a good standing in the industry. The most crucial aspect that needs to be ascertained is the adequate ventilation at the EPS recycling plant. During the recycling process, the material releases several gases that can be unsafe for humans. If you are looking to institute your Styrofoam plant, you, at first, should pick up on the norms and regulations set by the government. It will help you scale your venture accordingly.
Source: http://www.apsense.com/article/ways-to-recycle-styrofoam-or-expandedpolystyrene.html