Getting rid of polystyrene packaging
What to do with bulky foam packaging, takeaway containers and packing pieces.
Identify what you have
Expanded polystyrene often arrives as rigid white cushioning around appliances. Other packaging foams can look similar. Check the packaging material information rather than assuming that all white foam or loose-fill chips are the same.
Keep useful packaging clean
If you are keeping an appliance or posting something fragile, intact packaging may be useful again. Ask a recipient before donating a large quantity. Do not leave loose packing material beside a shop or recycling bank.
Confirm a route before travelling
Check whether your recycling centre has a specific polystyrene stream. If it does not, follow the council’s residual-waste instructions and ask about unusually large quantities. A recycling triangle on the foam is not proof of local acceptance.
Stop it blowing away
Contain lightweight pieces during storage and transport. Keep foam separate from the cardboard box it arrived in, so that recyclable cardboard stays clean. Do not force bulky packaging into a bin so the lid cannot shut.
See plastic wrapping and recycling centre access.
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