Recycling polystyrene is a major issue for many industries, as the material’s volume-to-weight ratio makes it difficult to transport economically after use. In many cases, polystyrene is the best packing material to utilize. It can lessen the risk of damage to valuable digital goods and store and protect foods like fish and vegetables much better than many other packaging materials. Regardless of polystyrene’s appropriateness for a wide range of packages, agencies are grappling with the increasing problem of finding different methods of disposing of enormous amounts of waste packaging.
Polystyrene
Polystyrene is one of the most common types of plastic found and used daily. The term polystyrene refers to a plastic that is made from styrene, a liquid hydrocarbon. In the 1930s, Germany advanced that clear, rigid, brittle plastic on a large scale. These days, the material is utilized to make CD and DVD cases and plastic forks.
Extended polystyrene (EPS) is a comparable foam fabric that has become more popular. EPS is an excellent insulator since it is nearly 95% air. It’s why it’s used in beer coolers and home insulation and why a freshly brewed cup of coffee in a polystyrene cup won’t burn your hands. Because of its small weight, EPS is ideal for adding buoyancy to life jackets and rafts. Because of its lightness and malleability, it is a great packaging material that provides cushioning while being light. Furthermore, because EPS is resistant to heat and does not react with specific substances, it has found widespread usage in the food industry in items like meat and poultry trays and the bins in which fast-food hamburgers are served.
However, some of the same trends that make polystyrene advantageous can be used against it when it comes to recycling. Because of its lightness, it is difficult to collect from curbside bins, and it frequently blows away, resulting in congestion. It’s difficult and expensive to transport because it’s bulky. Many municipal recycling programs no longer accept them.
Polystyrene is frequently unable to be recycled locally and must be transferred to a centralized facility, raising costs for recyclers and decreasing the desire to recycle.
Recycled EPS is probably utilized to make packaging or other materials instead of new EPS, while new EPS is preferred for espresso cups and plates. We shall explore the advantages of the EPS recycled beads.
Applications based on EPS recycled beads properties
Filler material
The filler material in consumer items is one of the most prevalent uses for polystyrene recycled beads. Most beanbag chairs and small footbags, pet beds, and pillows or cushions include these beads. They’re also widely used as a filler for stuffed animals and other toys. The beads are poured into an outer shell or casing without the use of any resins or adhesives when used as a filler material.
Lower the energy consumption
Polystyrene beads can be used to insulate wall cavities in homes and buildings. They’re especially useful when inserted in existing walls where regular fiberglass blankets would be impractical. Installers make a small hole in the drywall or plaster, then use an air blower to inject the polystyrene into the wall. The beads readily fit around pipes, wires, and other barriers, taking up all of the available areas. Polystyrene insulation improves a building’s comfort and energy efficiency, lowering energy expenditures and preserving fossil fuels.
Reducing the population of Mosquitoes
Loose beads are also used to help manage diseases like malaria by slowing the expansion of mosquito populations. These beads are placed into septic tanks or latrine pits to disrupt mosquito larvae’s respiratory processes. Adult mosquitoes are also prevented from leaving these breeding grounds by the layer of floating polystyrene. Polystyrene beads, unlike other materials, float on the surface of the water until they are rinsed away. They can also be used in spongy or moist soil, as well as around planting beds.
Insulation
Expanded polystyrene foam can be made by molding the beads together (EPS). This foam is commonly used for packaging, and little foam peanuts can be utilized to cushion items during delivery. Beads can also be crushed into thin foam sheets that are used to insulate buildings, roofs, and even refrigerators.
Reduction of litter
The greatest visible effect of recycling polystyrene material in the UAE is the reduction of muck on both land and marine. EPS can last indefinitely because it isn’t always affected by oxygen, sunshine, or water. Municipalities want to spend money in order to make things easier. For this reason, some big cities, such as San Francisco and Seattle, have outlawed the use of EPS in take-out containers.
In landfills, polystyrene takes up a lot of space and will be there for hundreds of years. The landfill industry claims that this isn’t a serious disadvantage because modern landfills are sealed from moisture and light and aren’t designed to promote biodegradation. Even herbal waste takes longer to disintegrate once it reaches a landfill.
Significantly reduced risk-prone for marine lifestyles
Polystyrene, on the other hand, is a threat to aquatic life. Because it deteriorates over time, EPS degrades into microscopic particles that fish mistake for food and devour. The foam jams marine species’ digestive tracts, causing them to die. According to a study which was published in Environmental Research in 2008, EPS accounts for 60 to 80% of marine litter. Recycling can aid in reducing the amount of waste that ends up in the ocean. Polystyrene recycling also protects the material from being burned in open flames, fires, or burn barrels. Unless green incinerators are used, polystyrene can release harmful compounds when burned.
Polystyrene Wood
Recycled EPS has been utilized to create a product that looks like wood and can be used for park seats and fence posts. This material is less expensive than hardwood and can be substituted for rainforest-harvested woods like mahogany and teak.
Reducing the usage of newly manufactured styrene from the industry will be a great help to the environment. You can get quality recycled beads from one of the largest suppliers in UAE, the Styrene Insulation Industry.
