New website aims to boost polystyrene foam recycling

After three years of doling out more than $400,000, the Foam Recycling Coalition (FRC), Falls Church, Virginia, advances its foam recycling grant program with a revamped website dedicated to foam polystyrene (PS) recycling.

RecycleFoam.org provides information, guidance and resources to increase the collection and processing of foam PS packaging for recycling. Visitors can learn about foam recycling basics, the availability of programs offering foam recycling, the end markets using recycled foam, model bale specifications, foam recycling equipment, the FRC grant program and more.

“The updated website is designed to enable visitors to easily access educational and actionable information about foam recycling,” says Lynn Dyer, president of Foodservice Packaging Institute, which houses the coalition. “Whether you are with an organization that generates used foam polystyrene, a public-sector recycling professional who provides recycling guidance to residents or with an end market that processes the recycled foam, you will find invaluable information to strengthen your program.”

Since 2014, the FRC has provided almost a dozen grants to public and private recycling entities in the U.S. and Canada that manage residential curbside or drop-off recycling programs. The grants, each valued up to $50,000, assist in equipment upgrades that add or expand recycling of postconsumer foam PS.

The 2018 foam recycling grant cycle opens June 1. Applicants may submit their applications and supporting documentation through July 31. The FRC grant award committee will review and rank the applications, notifying grant awards in September.

FRC members such as Americas Styrenics; Cascades Canada ULC; Chick-fil-A; NOVA Chemicals Corp.; Pactiv Foodservice/Food Packaging and TOTAL Petrochemicals & Refining USA select and finance the grants.

Nearly 1 million additional residents in the U.S. and Canada can recycle foam as a result of the foam recycling grant program. More information can be found here.