Re: [GRRN] Pre- and Post consumer #6

Myra Nissen (myracycl@inreach.com)
Thu, 28 Jan 1999 18:23:48 -0800


The scrap plastics directory of North America has lots of recyclers
listed who say they handle EPS. I have only tried the local ones (SF Bay
Area) and have had little luck. The directory is available from Resource
Recycling, Inc., PO Box 10540, Portland, Oregon 97296-0540, (503)
227-1319, e-mail resrecycle@aol.com.

I don't offer EPS recycling to my customers anymore. It is pretty
complicated -- (1) contamination by fire retardant, (2) not the desired
compactness, (3) comingled with other expanded plastics that are
difficult for consumers to identify and sort, (4) contaminated with
almost any other material, including exposure to dust and rain becuase
it has been stored outdoors, (5) the celluar structure is not the
desired structure.

(1) I put my customersdirectly in touch with Free Flow Packaging. (2) I
ask my customers to use something else. (2) I ask customers to arrange
to send it back to their vendors who generate it -- somebody pays for
the design and manufacture of a custom shaped block of ESP, it seems
reasonable to reuse it. (4) I ask them to write purchase orders
requiring their vendors to not use ESP or require vendors to take it
back. (5) In desperation, I also offer large generators a machine to
melt it into to a flat piece so that it doesn't take up room in the
garbage.

Good Luck!

Myra