EPS Recycling
The circular economy has gradually become the development direction of major economies, and some developed countries have formulated and implemented policies and regulations to promote the development of the circular economy. In the plastic industry, this means that all plastic products need to be recycled and reused. The highest goal of plastic recycling technology is to enable recycled plastics to return to their original use, which is also the purpose of the circular economy. We call it same-grade recycling, which means that the recycled plastic raw materials are still used for their original purpose, such as our bottle-to-bottle technology and EPS-to-EPS technology.
The EPS-to-EPS recycling technology is a foaming extrusion technology developed based on the definition of the circular economy. Compressed and crushed EPS waste is fed into a twin-screw extruder, and hexane foaming agent is injected into the material during the extrusion process. The material is then cooled to a temperature suitable for underwater pelletizing. The pellets produced are similar to brand new EPS raw materials and contain foaming agents. The recycled EPS pellets containing foaming agents can be used like suspended EPS new materials, and many of their performance characteristics are even better than those of EPS new materials produced by suspended methods.
USEON’s XEPS utilizes 40% recycled General Purpose Polystyrene (GPPS) as raw material. According to industry data, producing one kilogram of virgin GPPS emits approximately 2.0–3.5 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e), whereas recycled GPPS results in only 0.3–0.6 kilograms CO₂e. By incorporating 40% recycled GPPS, the carbon footprint of XEPS’s raw materials can be reduced by about 30–40%, equating to a decrease of approximately 600–1,200 kilograms of CO₂e per ton of product.
This initiative not only helps reduce dependence on fossil resources but also promotes the circular reuse of EPS materials, aligning with trends in green building and sustainable development.
To learn more about EPS-to-EPS recycling technology, please feel free to contact us at any time.
FAQ
A: Our XEPS recycling technology provides an effective pathway for the circular use of EPS materials. According to industry Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) data, the recycling process itself holds a theoretical potential to reduce carbon emissions by 50% to 75% compared to producing virgin EPS. In practical applications, the reduction effect depends on the blending ratio of recycled material. For instance, using 40% XEPS recycled pellets in a product can help reduce that product's carbon footprint by approximately 30% to 40%. This reduction effect stems primarily from:
- Reduced Upstream Consumption: Recycling lessens the demand for upstream manufacturing processes, including crude oil extraction, refining, and styrene polymerization.
- Lower Energy Consumption in Production: The energy required for the recycling process is typically lower than that needed to produce an equivalent weight of new material.
- Waste Management: Recycling EPS waste helps to avoid the associated carbon emissions that could result from landfilling or incineration.
A: The recycling system is designed to process several common types of EPS waste found in the market, including:
- Product Packaging: Such as single-use protective packaging for home appliances and electronics.
- Turnover Boxes: For example, EPS insulated boxes used in some fishery and logistics industries.
- Factory Scraps: Relatively clean off-cuts and scraps generated during the production process at EPS product factories.
The pre-treatment stages of the system (e.g., crushing, washing, drying) are intended to manage common impurities found in the waste material to improve the purity of the final recycled pellets.
A: The physical properties of EPS pellets recycled through the XEPS technology can be restored to a level approaching that of virgin materials. Through process steps like melt extrusion, filtration, and underwater pelletizing, we address some impurities in the recycled material and adjust its properties. This means the recycled pellets have the potential to replace a portion of virgin materials in the manufacturing of EPS packaging products. This can help customers explore options for lowering raw material costs and reducing environmental impact while maintaining the product's essential performance characteristics.
A: Yes, the extrusion recycling process facilitates this. During the melt extrusion stage, it is possible to compound and modify the material simultaneously. For instance, graphite can be added to enhance the thermal resistance of the recycled EPS. Color masterbatches can also be introduced to produce recycled pellets in specific colors. Furthermore, additives like HIPS (High Impact Polystyrene) can be blended in to adjust physical properties such as the impact strength of the final product.