How to Recycle Styrofoam Packaging
- 1). Reuse packing peanuts yourself or take them to local packing and shipping stores for reuse. The Plastic Loose Fill Council operates a 24-hour hotline to direct consumers nationwide to businesses that reuse polystyrene peanuts. The organization's website also offers a list of drop-off sites. The council's Peanut Hotline is 800-828-2214.
- 2). Recycle molded polystyrene packaging--the rigid blocky Styrofoam used to protect electronics and other delicate products--by sending it to the Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers' Mail-Back Recycling Program. Check that the polystrene packaging is marked with a recycling symbol and the number six. Remove any paper labels, plastic film or glued-on cardboard from the polystyrene.
- 3). Break the polystyrene packaging into smaller pieces if desired. Pack the polystyrene into boxes or sturdy plastic sacks to mail to recyclers. The Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers' Mail-Back Recycling Program accepts clean expanded polystyrene at any of their 47 participating locations across the country, which are listed at epspackaging.org/images/stories/National_Mail_Back_Locations.pdf.
- 4). Recycle material such as Styrofoam cups and pressed polystyrene egg cartons, meat trays and other foam food containers at recycling centers operated by Dart Container in 15 states, Canada and Mexico.
- 5). Empty and rinse the Styrofoam cups, egg cartons, meat trays and other foam food containers. Make sure they are free of food remnants.
- 6). Pack the cups and containers into transparent plastic bags and write your name or organization and phone number on the front. Take it--or package and mail it--to one of the recycling centers found at dartcontainer.com/web/environ.nsf/pages/drop-off.html.
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