Polystyrene & Foam: The Hard-to-Recycle Plastic
That white foam box is mostly air. Light and cheap, it is also one of the hardest plastics to recycle β so avoiding it beats binning it.
Expanded polystyrene (EPS, "Styrofoam") is about 95% air. That makes it bulky to transport and uneconomic to collect through normal curbside systems, so most of it ends up as litter or landfill.
Why It's Tricky
- Bulky and light β a truckload weighs almost nothing, so transport costs dominate.
- Breaks into beads that escape easily into the environment.
- Few curbside programs accept it; special drop-offs do.
What To Do
Check for foam-collection points at shipping stores and transfer stations. Better still, refuse it: choose moulded-pulp or reusable packaging, and skip foam takeaway boxes when a reusable container works.
Related Reading
See plastic recycling limits, eco-friendly packaging, and wishcycling & contamination.
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