For the most part, polystyrene should notbe put in your recycling bin at home. However, there are some exceptions – read on for details.
Moulded polystyrene, polystyrene slabs, foam boxes and packing pellets/peanuts
These types of polystyrene should never be put in your recycling bin at home. They can only be recycled through specialised services.
Polystyrene packaging
Some types of polystyrene packaging such as meat trays and yogurt/dairy containers can be recycled.
Here’s how to figure out if it can go in the recycling bin:
Always check packaging for the Australasian Recycling Label to determine if it can be recycled at home. If the label says it is recyclable, it can go in your recycling bin.
If the label says it is not recyclable, or if the packaging does not have the Australasian Recycling Label on it, put it in the garbage bin. Otherwise, it could contaminate the other items in the recycling bin.
Other recycling options
Polystyrene can be dropped off at designated recycling points or picked up by commercial recyclers. Some businesses will charge a fee so please call the recycler in advance.
Use the directory on this page to see if there is a recycling drop-off point or pick-up service near you. If you’re not able to find a recycling option in your area, it should be put in the garbage bin.
What is polystyrene?
Polystyrene foam is also known as Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) and is used to make various products such as moulded packaging foam (often used to protect appliances), fruit and vegetable boxes, beanbag beans and packaging peanuts/pellets.
Polystyrene is a lightweight, rigid cellular plastic that is used widely in packaging to protect items. Due to its shock absorbing characteristics, it is useful for storage and in the transport of fragile and expensive items such as electronic equipment, chemicals and wines.
While polystyrene is a type of plastic, 98% of the material is actually air. It is made from oil, which is a non-renewable resource (meaning there is a finite amount of it on our planet).
Why recycle?
Polystyrene is a problematic material that takes hundreds of years to breakdown in landfill. Despite 98% of the plastic packaging being air, it takes up large amounts of space in landfills where it can easily be blown away and enter our natural environment.
Despite polystyrene being problematic in landfill, it is still better to put it in your garbage bin if you do not have a recycling collection point near you. Putting polystyrene in your recycling bin at home will only cause problems for recyclers and contaminate other materials in your recycling bin.
Image credit: Ecycle Solutions
What happens to it?
Polystyrene foam that is dropped off for recycling at specialised collection points or picked up by commercial recyclers will be melted down and turned into new products such as outdoor furniture, decking, picture frames and skirting boards.
Image credit: Ecycle Solutions
Confusion with polystyrene
Some polystyrene products such as foam cups, trays or foam packaging are marked with the Plastic Identification Code 6 (a triangle with arrows and a 6 inside). Some think this code is a recycling symbol, however, that is not the case.
Plastic Identification Codes are used to identifythe type of plastic the product is made from, notif it can be recycled. There are many types of plastic and some are harder to recycle than others, so this information is very important to recyclers.
Recycling large quantities
If your business or workplace has large quantities of polystyrene foam to dispose of, there are commercial recycling services available. Visit thepolystyrene page for businesses to find a suitable recycling option.
Expanded Polystyrene Australia (the national EPS Industry Group) has a number of collection facilities for EPS products across Australia. These facilities accept all types of EPS from both packaging and building/construction applications. Visit the Expanded Polystyrene Australia to find out where the collection facility is in your state.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is polystyrene recyclable?
Expanded polystyrene (such as polystyrene foam cups, packing peanuts and blocks used to protect valuable items in transport) should not be put in your recycling bin at home. While polystyrene foam is technically recyclable, it can only be recycled if it’s dropped off at designated recycling points or collected by a commercial recycler.
Use the information on this page to see if there is a recycling point or service near you. If you cannot find one, it should be placed in your garbage bin.
Is polystyrene recycled?
In Australia, polystyrene foam (often referred to as Styrofoam) is sometimes recycled but it requires specialised equipment and infrastructure. That means, you cannot recycle polystyrene foam by placing it in your recycling bin at home. It must be dropped off at designated recycling points or collected by a commercial recycler. Use the information on this page to see if there is a recycling point or service near you. If you cannot find one, it should be placed in your garbage bin.
Can you recycle polystyrene packaging?
Polystyrene is a versatile material used in a wide range of packaging applications. Sometimes polystyrene is used to make food packaging such as yoghurt cups. Always look for the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) on the packaging to see if it can be recycled. If the ARL is not present on the packaging, check with your council to see if they accept rigid polystyrene packaging in recycling bins.
Another common type of polystyrene used in packaging is expanded polystyrene (EPS), sometimes referred to as Styrofoam. This type of polystyrene can be moulded into shapes and is often used as a packaging protectant for valuable items like appliances during transport (as blocks or small pellets). Polystyrene foam is also used to make takeaway containers like clamshell boxes; however, these are being phased out in Australia as part of the country’s single-use plastic bans.
Expanded polystyrene should not be placed in your recycling bin at home. It must be dropped off at designated recycling points or collected by a commercial recycler. Use the information on this page to see if there is a recycling point or service near you. If you cannot find one, it should be placed in your garbage bin.
Is expanded polystyrene foam recyclable?
Expanded polystyrene (such as polystyrene foam takeaway containers, packing peanuts and blocks used to protect valuable items in transport) should not be put in your recycling bin at home. While polystyrene foam is technically recyclable, it can only be recycled if it’s dropped off at designated recycling points or collected by a commercial recycler. Use the information on this page to see if there is a recycling point or service near you. If you cannot find one, it should be placed in your garbage bin.
Is polystyrene plastic recyclable?
Polystyrene is a type of plastic used to make a variety of products such as foam packaging like packing peanuts or food packaging like yoghurt cups. Polystyrene is technically recyclable, but most types of polystyrene should not be placed in your recycling bin at home.
•Polystyrene food packaging like yoghurt cups: Always look for the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) on the packaging to see if it can be recycled. If the ARL is not present on the packaging, check with your council to see if they accept rigid polystyrene packaging in recycling bins.
•Polystyrene foam: Never put polystyrene foam (like foam blocks or takeaway containers) in your recycling bin at home. While polystyrene foam is technically recyclable, it can only be recycled if it’s dropped off at designated recycling points or collected by a commercial recycler. Use the information on this page to see if there is a recycling point or service near you. If you cannot find one, it should be placed in your garbage bin.
Can you put polystyrene in the recycling bin?
Polystyrene is a type of plastic used to make a variety of products such as foam packaging like packing peanuts or food packaging like yoghurt cups.
Polystyrene is technically recyclable, but most types of polystyrene should not be placed in your recycling bin at home.
•Polystyrene food packaging like yoghurt cups: Always look for the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) on the packaging to see if it can be recycled. If the ARL is not present on the packaging, check with your council to see if they accept rigid polystyrene packaging in recycling bins.
•Polystyrene foam: Never put polystyrene foam (like foam blocks or takeaway containers) in your recycling bin at home. While polystyrene foam is technically recyclable, it can only be recycled if it’s dropped off at designated recycling points or collected by a commercial recycler. Use the information on this page to see if there is a recycling point or service near you. If you cannot find one, it should be placed in your garbage bin.
Are polystyrene meat trays recyclable?
Some types of polystyrene meat trays can be put in your recycling bin at home, but not all. The only way to know if it can be recycled is to look for the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) on the meat tray which will tell you which bin to put it in. If the ARL is not present on the meat tray, put it in your garbage bin so it doesn’t contaminate your recycling bin. When in doubt, leave it out!
Are polystyrene packing peanuts recyclable?
No. Polystyrene packing peanuts should never be put in your recycling bin at home.
There are some commercial recyclers who recycle polystyrene foam and there are some public drop-off points; however, packing peanuts are not usually accepted because they are too small and light to manage efficiently. Polystyrene packing peanuts are being phased out in some parts of Australia as part of the state and territory single-use plastic bans.
Where to take polystyrene for recycling?
Expanded polystyrene (EPS), such as polystyrene foam blocks used to protect valuable items in transport, should not be put in your recycling bin at home. While polystyrene foam is technically recyclable, it can only be recycled if it’s dropped off at designated recycling points or collected by a commercial recycler. Use the information on this page to see if there is a recycling point or service near you. If you cannot find one, it should be placed in your garbage bin.
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