Packaging Strategies logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Packaging Strategies logo
  • FEATURED
    • Brand Packaging
    • Extended Producer Responsibility
    • New Products & Materials
      • Featured Products
    • Packaging News
    • Packaging Perspectives Podcasts
    • Steve Fairfield Innovation Award
    • Supply Side
    • Top 100 Food & Beverage Packaging Companies
      • Submit Your Company
  • FLEXIBLE PACKAGING
  • VERTICAL MARKETS
    • Beer / Wine / Spirits Packaging
    • Beverage Packaging
    • Candy / Confectionery
    • Dairy Food Packaging
    • FoodService Packaging
    • Household Packaging
    • Meat / Seafood Packaging
    • Personal Care Packaging
    • Pet Food Packaging
    • Pharma / Medical Packaging
    • Produce Packaging
    • Snack Food Packaging
  • MATERIALS
    • Adhesives / Sealants
    • Beverage Multipacks
    • Blister Packaging
    • Cans & Bottles
    • Closures/Lids
    • Films & Coatings
    • Labels
    • Material Converting
    • Paperboard / Corrugated / Cartons
    • Rigid Containers
    • Sustainable Packaging
  • MACHINERY
    • Automation / Controls
    • Case Forming / Packing / Sealing
    • Cartoning
    • Coding / Marking / Printing
    • Conveyors
    • Form-Fill-Seal / Filling & Closing
    • Inspection / Detection / Vision
    • Labeling
    • Unitizing / Palletizing
    • Robotics
    • Track & Trace / Serialization
  • DIRECTORIES
    • Packaging Strategies Resource Guide
    • Flexible Packaging Buyer's Guide
  • EVENTS
    • Converters Expo
    • Converters Expo South
    • Global Pouch Forum
    • Industry Events
    • Webinars
  • MORE
    • Videos
    • Book Store
    • Classifieds
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • eXTRA Newsletter
    • Market Research
    • PACKSTRAT Wordplay
    • PS Resource Guide
    • Sponsor Insights
  • EMAG
    • eMagazines
    • Archived Issues
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
Packaging NewsSustainable Packaging

New website helps holiday shoppers recycle foam packaging

December 18, 2015

Holiday shoppers now have an easy way to figure out where to recycle the foam packaging that protects their gifts and keeps their hot cocoa warm.

A new interactive website allows Americans and Canadians to search for local recycling programs that collect protective foam packaging and foam food packaging. The site also identifies foam packaging “mail back” programs for areas where local recycling does not exist.

PSFoamRecycling.org allows users to enter a zip code or search an interactive map to find recycling programs. The site differentiates between programs that accept protective foam packaging (typically used for transporting electronics and other high-end products), programs that collect foam food packaging (such as coffee cups, clamshell containers, egg cartons, and meat trays), and programs that collect both types of packaging. It also identifies whether the foam packaging is collected at curbside or drop-off programs.

The foam packaging collected in these programs is made from polystyrene plastic, typically marked with the number six or “PS” in chasing arrows. It’s often mistakenly referred to as Styrofoam, which is a Dow trademark for an insulation product.

Access to curbside and drop-off recycling programs for foam polystyrene packaging is growing across the U.S. and Canada. However, it is not yet widespread, so the site provides links to organizations that allow people to ship their foam polystyrene for recycling. These programs help meet the growing demand for recycled polystyrene, as more and more companies seek out recycled plastics to use in manufacturing.

“Nobody wants a loved one to open a gift and find that it’s broken, which is why so many manufacturers use protective polystyrene foam packaging,” says Keith Christman, managing director of plastics markets for the American Chemistry Council’s Plastics Division. “Foam packaging uses very little material—it’s typically more than 95 percent air—and does a great job, whether protecting TVs or serving hot coffee without scalding our hands. With growing access to recycling, it’s becoming easier to find ways to keep this valuable material out of landfills.”

PSFoamRecycling.org will be regularly updated as recycling programs grow and change, so it can be used beyond the holiday season. The site is overseen by Moore Recycling Associates, which provides consulting services for plastics recycling. The site is sponsored by the Plastics Foodservice Packaging Group, part of the American Chemistry Council’s Plastics Division. Organizations that collect recycling information–the Canadian Plastic Industry Association, the EPS Industry Alliance, and the Foodservice Packaging Institute–contributed to the site.

KEYWORDS: foam foam packaging packaging innovations packaging trends PS Foam Recycling recyclable materials recyclable packaging recycling

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Golden award trophy in the shape of a star. Text: 2026 Top 100 Food and Beverage Companies

    Top 100 Food and Beverage Packaging Companies of 2026

    Celebrating 30 years as a B2B journalist, I’ve revisited...
    Special Reports
    By: Brad Addington
  • Women In Packaging 2025 homepage hero

    Women in Packaging: Seizing Opportunities, Pushing Boundaries

    Seven women share their personal journeys in the...
    Materials
    By: Brad Addington
  • Image of the Spyder Pick and Place Joint Robot sorting pre-rolls.

    Cannabis Packaging Goes High-Tech

    Packaging Strategies doesn't often cover cannabis...
    Robotics
    By: Brad Addington
Subscription Center
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • Online Registration

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Packaging Strategies audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Packaging Strategies or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Hand Holding Various Semaglutide and Insulin Injection Pens for different stages of the treatment.
    Sponsored byInline Plastics

    How GLP-1 Is Reshaping Food Packaging, and Why It Matters More Than You Think

  • A stack of clear plastic containers, the bottom full of mixed fruit
    Sponsored byInline Plastics

    Packaging Trends Shaping 2026: Where Trust Is Won

Popular Stories

Podcast | Packaging EPR’s 2026 Reality Check” with guest Anna Kendall headshot and title. Also pictured Cardboard boxes on conveyor belt.

PODCAST | Packaging EPR’s 2026 Reality Check

Logo for New Earth Ventures

Atlantic Packaging Launches New Earth Ventures to Accelerate Packaging Technology

Main image for podcast with Kevin Kelly regarding Flexible Packaging for Produce. Main image includes Kevin Kelly’s headshot and an image of potatoes in a bag incorporating 30% PCR content.

Looking Forward to Global Pouch Forum

See the Top 100 Food and Beverage Packaging Companies of 2026

Products

Advances in Sustainable Food Packaging Technology

Advances in Sustainable Food Packaging Technology

See More Products

Packaging Perspectives Podcast

Play Packaging Strategies' captivating WordPlay game, PackStrat! There's a new word every Tuesday.

Related Articles

  • Storopack-FOAMplus-7008.png

    Storopack Launches Innovative Bio-Based Foam Packaging Solution

    See More
  • Carton recycling takes giant step forward with new website

    See More
  • Toray Plastics (America) Inc. Launches New Website

    See More
×

Keep the info flowing with our Newsletters!

Get the latest industry updates tailored your way.

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • Newsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2026. All Rights Reserved BNP Media, Inc. and BNP Media II, LLC.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing