The Polyfoam Group is dedicated to the continual improvement of its methods and practices to reduce its impact on the environment, as well as providing a service by which clean foam products can be recycled. Polyfoam companies are members of EPSA (Expanded Polystyrene Australia).
Polyfoam have the highest level of pod recycling in Australia. The unique aspect of our business allows for Diamond Pod offcuts to be picked up from sites, which reduces the volume of waste sent to landfill (fees may apply.)
Impact of Polystyrene
Polystyrene is a by-product of crude oil extraction, and is only about 2% of a typical expanded polystyrene product. The rest is air! This explains why Expanded Polystyrene is so lightweight.
The manufacturing process uses pentane gas, which is harmless to the ozone layer and safe for food packaging. The tiny styrene beads are steamed, making the pentane inside them expand – like popcorn – until it fills the shape of the mould it’s in. We filter and re-use the water from this process.
Polystyrene products do not contain CFCs, and therefore have no effect on the ozone layer. There are no harmful by-products created in this process.
Recycling Polystyrene
For recycling purposes, Expanded Polystyrene is categorised as clean or contaminated. Clean means dry and free of any dirt, tape or labels. Contaminated is anything else, including packaging with stickiness, food particles or concrete.
Expanded Polystyrene packaging is 100% recyclable, and Polyfoam is able to recycle the clean variety.
Customers may arrange to bring clean, used Expanded Polystyrene packaging to most Polyfoam sites for recycling. Please contact your nearest office for more details.
Please visit Metro Waste’s page for further information and drop-off locations