The Forum for EPS Recycling, EPSY, organized within the IK Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen e.V.(German Association for Plastics Packaging and Films), state that airpop can be recycled and is being recycled successfully. The recycling rate for airpop packages is around 50 percent in Germany (Conversio study) – an exemplary result compared with the rest of Europe, and one that is being successively extended. The industry is working hand in hand with all participants in the value chain on solutions for the small volumes from the yellow sack scheme that are not yet recycled.
Expanded polystyrene (EPS), which provides convincing protective and insulating functions with regard to sustainability in the first stage of its useful life, can also be used as a secondary raw material for recycling even after at the end of its useful life. However, the “Guidelines for assessing the recyclability of packaging subject to mandatory participation in a dual system” published by the Central Packaging Registry Office (ZSVR) are causing uncertainty. EPS is excluded from the group of good materials, and is thus by definition categorized by the Central Office as not recyclable.