The US Plastics Pact (USPP) has removed expanded polystyrene (EPS) transport packaging from its list of problematic and unnecessary materials. According to the organisation, the deciding factor is a recycling rate of at least 30 percent.
The decision is part of an ongoing review of the „Problematic & Unnecessary Materials List“ of the US Plastics Pact. A responsible working group evaluated the available data and supplementary information. According to this, EPS achieves a recycling rate of around 30 percent or more for transport packaging. This meets the threshold of the first criterion in the USPP evaluation procedure.
Decision applies only to transport packaging
The U.S. Plastics Pact stresses that the change exclusively concerns EPS transport packaging. Other packaging or products made of EPS or polystyrene respectively remain unaffected.
As the reason for the differing evaluation, the organisation cites, among other things, the special material flows. EPS transport packaging frequently remained within commercial distribution channels or reached consumers together with products. This created opportunities for collection and consolidation outside the traditional municipal kerbside collection.
Recycling structures for EPS expanded
According to the U.S. Plastics Pact, this development demonstrates the impact that targeted measures can have on circularity. This includes the organisation of stronger markets for recyclates as well as investments in material-specific infrastructure. In the case of EPS, for example, compacting the material can help make transport more economical.
Continuous collection and evaluation of data is also necessary to measure progress in collection and recycling. At the same time, the U.S. Plastics Pact sees further potential for increasing the recycling rates of EPS transport packaging.
According to the organisation, the review of the remaining materials on the problem list is ongoing. Further recommendations are to follow once the respective assessments have been completed.
Source: US Plastics Pact Inc.
