Is styrofoam recyclable in Australia?

People use "styrofoam" for several different foams. Moulded EPS, extruded polystyrene sheet and soft polyethylene cushioning are not recycled together.

EPS is the rigid white packaging around appliances and equipment. You can usually see the fused beads. For a large or regular load, ask the packaging supplier what the foam actually is.

So the answer to "is polystyrene recyclable" has two parts. The material can be recycled, and the place you send it must take your type of foam. Check both before you pack a load.

A plastic code number tells you the type of plastic. It does not mean your council takes it. Always follow the council's own bin rules.

The City of Kingston's bin guide is a good example. It excludes polystyrene foam from the recycling bin, even though some rigid plastics with the same name are accepted.

At work, the same applies to a mixed packaging cage. Keep foam, film, straps and cardboard apart where equipment is unpacked. Sorting is much harder once everything is crushed together.

StyroCycle lists EPS return locations. Check each site's conditions before you travel, as not every site takes every load.

Some councils, including Boroondara, Monash and Moonee Valley, take EPS. Rules differ on residency, condition and quantity. Our Melbourne EPS directory sets these out.

Some small loads are taken without a charge. Check whether that covers businesses or only residents. If your business fills bags of foam every week, set up a commercial collection instead.

Your supplier may also take packaging back when they deliver. Ask before you unpack a large installation, and get their answer in writing.

Keep EPS free of food, oil, soil and water. Take off cardboard sleeves, plastic wrap and straps where it is safe to do so. Mention any labels, tape or coatings.

A fish box and a clean appliance block can look alike. Never hide a stained box inside a bag of clean foam. Set doubtful pieces aside and photograph them.

Store foam under cover. Rain pools in moulded cavities and wind scatters fragments. Keep it clear of walkways, drains and fire equipment.

Track how many bags or pallets you fill and how often. Note the largest pieces and whether the foam always comes from the same supplier. This tells a collector what kind of service you need.

Put the storage spot close to where staff unpack. Show an example of what goes in and what does not. If film or food packaging keeps turning up, fix the sorting point before you order more bags.

For a one-off fit-out or warehouse clearance, separate EPS at the start. Left to the end, it gets mixed with screws, cable ties and timber.

Agree on packing with the receiver. Bulk bags suit loose clean pieces. Large intact blocks can go on stable pallets. Do not overfill bags, and keep the openings closed.

On pallets, stop pieces sticking out or falling through gaps. Include a photo of the packed load in your enquiry.

Do not grind, melt or crush EPS with improvised equipment. A proper compactor can make sense for a large, steady stream, but check with the receiver first that they will take the compacted blocks.

Clean EPS is shredded and compressed into dense blocks, which are made into new plastic products. The Polyfoam recycling explanation shows how one dedicated program works with StyroCycle.

A dirty or mixed load may not all be recycled. Sorting it properly at your site is what keeps it recyclable.

If clean packaging pieces are intact, ask the supplier whether they can use them again. For fragile equipment, keep the supplier's protective packaging unless they agree otherwise.

Soft foam needs its own check: see the PU and PE foam page. Plastic film goes a separate way, covered on the film page.

For dirty household foam with nowhere to go, follow your council's guidance. Business foam with chemical residue or fire damage must be declared before any transport is booked.

Ask the receiver whether they take your type, colour and past use of foam. Ask how much they take, whether business loads are allowed and how it should be packed.

Then check who unloads, what vehicle access there is and whether you need a booking. Keep their reply with your photos so a colleague can follow the same steps.