EPS
Sustainability

EPS manufacturers are committed to environmental stewardship & advancing production efficiencies.

Growing New Ideas

EPS is recyclable. EPS saves energy. EPS saves resources. EPS-IA members are vested in product stewardship that supports a circular economy, and they thrive on innovation to support ecological advantages. Versatile, reliable and available in a wide range of applications, EPS ensures safe transportation of the things we value and delivers maximum comfort and efficiency at home and work. The EPS industry is constantly working on new approaches to improving its protection, its recyclability and its insulation properties even more.

Despite ongoing misperceptions about its recyclability, EPS recycling is well established and consistently maintains one of the highest recycling rates among all plastics. The 2022 EPS Recycling Report shows 61.6 million pounds of post-consumer EPS was recycled, representing a 31% recycling rate. For more than 30 years local community programs, in conjunction with recycling initiatives from large companies that use EPS packaging, have proven that creative and collaborative solutions provide positive results. With regular, recycled-content or biodegradable feedstocks, EPS foam has low global warming potential, low embodied energy and has developed recycled-content resin formulations.

Building & Construction Sustainability

EPS insulation provides stable R-value, delivering long-term, reliable energy efficiency. Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) comparisons show that EPS insulation has a lower environmental impact across several categories. EPS insulation offers design professionals the opportunity to qualify for LEED credits in several categories.

Packaging Sustainability

EPS is an engineered solution that solves many packaging transport, safety and protection problems. The environmental footprint of EPS packaging captured over its lifetime is substantially less than alternative materials. Composed of 98% air, EPS reduces fuel consumption and vehicle CO2 emissions. And EPS can be recycled into a new generation of packaging or many other products.

Manufacturing Sustainability

EPS manufacturers go beyond baseline requirements to optimize their operations. Many have Quality Management Systems (QMSs) that are certified to the ISO 9001 Standard. Additionally, some employ Continuous Improvement Systems designed around Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma to improve efficiency.