Expanded Polystyrene and the Environment
Since Clean Air Day last week (June 17th), we have been thinking about how as a company we contribute to Clean Air Day, and also how expanded polystyrene (EPS) itself contributes. Over the years expanded polystyrene has been branded as detrimental to the environment. This is far from the truth.
You can read more about how environmentally friendly expanded polystyrene is in our article here.
In this article, we are looking into how EPS contributes to Clean Air Day.
How EPS Contributes to Clean Air Day.
Recycling EPS Prevents Water Pollution.
Recycling EPS saves waste from entering the environment. When EPS is not responsibly disposed of, not only does it end up in landfills, it can also be found littering the UK’s water bodies. Whilst EPS waste cannot pollute the environment, when it breaks down it can be dangerous for wildlife both on land and in the water. Recycling EPS is significantly reducing the amount entering streams, rivers, and seas.
Recycling EPS Reduces Landfill Amounts
There is a common misconception that EPS is un-recyclable. Local councils do not include EPS in their curbside collections due to the lack of facilities, not because it is un-recyclable. Expanded polystyrene is 100% recyclable. Here at Molygran we offer an EPS Recycling Service which is helping reduce the amount of EPS being sent to landfill. EPS does not release any harmful gasses into the environment when it breaks down. However, leaving the waste un-treated is obviously not the best solition for the environment. Recycling EPS is extremely beneficial to the environment. Anything we can do as a country to improve our recycling facilities and reduce landfill can only contribute to reducing global warming.
Manufacture of EPS
Manufacturing EPS creates very little pollution. The main source of energy for manufacturing is provided by steam. The water used for the steam is recycled many times which enables water consumption to be kept to a minimum. Once formed expanded polystyrene is 98% air, meaning only 2% is made up of polystyrene cellular matrix. You can read more about this here.
Compacting EPS
When compacting EPS it reduces the size of the product by up to 95%. EPS is big, bulky, and lightweight. Transport of the product can at times outweigh the cost of the product itself. The first step of recycling EPS is to compact it into briquettes. This significantly reduces the amount of transport required which reduces the cost and carbon footprint of the material. You can see how we do this here.
EPS Packaging Reduces Breakages
Packaging has one fundamental job, to protect the product! The supposed “environmentally friendly alternatives” to EPS do not do the job as well as EPS can. The properties of EPS for packaging are unbeatable, which you can read about here. If the packaging does not protect products from breakages, replacement products, and further transport is then required. EPS helps avoid all these extra costs and environmental impacts.
Recycled Plastic Products
Using recycled plastic to manufacture new products significantly reduces the amount of energy needed for manufacturing, and also the need for the production of virgin raw plastics. Molygran are passionate about improving people’s knowledge about the importance of recycling. Implementing a Circular Economy tackles the “single-use plastics problem” and will be a big part of revolutionising current systems and reducing the use of the Earth’s natural resources.
EPS Insulation
EPS is a popular material for insulation due to its natural properties. It has very low thermal conductivity due to its closed-cell structure consisting of 98% air. EPS insulation significantly reduces energy consumption (up to 50%) by improving the energy efficiency of a building. When there is less energy consumption there is less consumption of fossil fuels. This all helps reduce global warming. For more information on using EPS for improving the thermal efficiency of a building, click here.
Can you help the environment by using expanded polystyrene? Contact us; Molygran – Your Partner In Excellence.
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