Canada – Since 2009, Canada’s recycling rates for expanded polystyrene (EPS) have jumped more than 50%, states the Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA) in a recent study. The main reasons for this are the wide availability of recycling services and advanced technology, it indicates.
According to the CPIA research, which took account of nearly every municipal programme in the country, recycling of EPS used in protective packaging soared from a mere 12% in 2009 to 31% towards the end of last year. The association notes that this is ‘the single largest increase of all the categories.’
Additionally, recycling of food packaging made from foamed polystyrene gained seven percentage points to reach 32%. Plastic bottles achieved the best result in surpassing 95%, with dairy containers a close second on 91%.
CPIA’s Vice President Cathy Cirko identifies today’s ‘densified material’ as a key factor in this improvement. She states: ‘We believe that recycling access for polystyrene has risen significantly due to advances in affordable technology which can compact the foam material, thereby reducing its volume, improving the cost to ship to recyclers and subsequently opening up new market opportunities for collected polystyrene.’
For more information, visit: www.plastics.ca
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