The US Plastics Pact has removed expanded polystyrene (EPS) transport packaging from its Problematic & Unnecessary Materials List due to its reported recycling rate of 30% or higher.
After reviewing the available data and supporting information, the Pact’s working group finds that EPS transport packaging meets Criterion One of the Pact’s Decision Tree – ‘is the material reusable, recyclable, or compostable now or will it be by 2030?’
The Pact says this format often remains within commercial distribution channels or accompanies products delivered to consumers, which creates opportunities for collection and aggregation outside of municipal kerbside recycling programmes.
However, the removal is specific to EPS transport packaging. Other expanded polystyrene and polystyrene formats remain on the Problematic & Unnecessary Materials List.
The Pact is currently undertaking a broader review of the list and plans to make additional revisions throughout the process, if necessary.
“This update reflects how USPP’s Problematic & Unnecessary Materials process is intended to work,” the Pact says. “The list provides a framework for identifying packaging materials that present significant challenges, while allowing them to be reassessed as systems, markets, and outcomes change.
“There is still more work to do to further increase recycling rates for EPS transport packaging, but this progress demonstrates that focused interventions can change outcomes. We encourage continued collaboration among suppliers, users and recyclers to build on and scale strategies that have proven successful.”
The Pact underlines the areas of progress in EPS transport packaging that other industries could learn from, including investment in infrastructure to overcome material-specific barriers – for example, densification to improve the efficiency of EPS transportation.
Strong end markets and increased use of post-consumer recyclate are expected to incentivize collection and recycling. Consistent data collection and measurement are also set to help track progress, understand what is working, and identify areas for improvement.
Other recent updates from the US Plastics Pact include reports envisioning a return-on-the-go model for retail packaging and exploring the possibilities of upscaling composting infrastructure.
In other news, BEWI has opened a recycling facility for expanded polystyrene in Norway. Said to be the first of its kind in the country, the facility aims to recycle up to 3,500 tonnes of EPS annually.
Flatfish producer Flatlantic has since adopted BEWI’s certified recycled EPS boxes to transport fresh seafood – a move hoped to reduce carbon footprint by 30%.
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