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Mail back initiative - The Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers offers a mailback program to USA residents; whereby you send the polystyrene in via the US mail service. There's a cost involved (postage), but this may prove more economical to you that carting it somewhere by car. You can learn more

Sell it! - If polystyrene is something you get a lot of; you might be able to make a few bucks from it. The Recycled Plastic Markets Database

Most MRM drop-off sites accept all types and brands of consumer electronics for recycling. MRM sites accept Panasonic (including Quasar and Technics), Sharp and Toshiba brand TVs and consumer electronic products at no charge. There may be a charge

The city has joined the EPA WasteWise program to demonstrate our commitment to conserving natural resources and protecting the environment.

“The average adult receives 41 pounds of junk mail each year. It took more than 100 million trees to create all this bulk mail – that’s the equivalent of deforesting the entire Rocky Mountain National Park every four months. Even though most junk mail can be recycled, 5.8 million tons of catalogs and other direct mailings ended up as trash in landfills or incinerators in 2005. And all this comes at a cost to our climate as well: The production and disposal of junk mail consumes more energy than 3 million cars.”

Please visit Eco-Cycle.org to find out how you and your business can stop unwanted junk mail.

Drop-off sites - Check Earth911.com to find where you can find polystyrene recycling in your area. Make sure to call local sites beforehand to make sure EPS is accepted and in what form. If they do take EPS, most accept packing materials but not food or medical containers. Bring empty containers free of tape, labels, plastic film, etc. As you know, contaminants can ruin the recycling process.

Mail-back - If a drop-off site doesn’t exist in your area, you can also use a mail-back program such as the Alliance of Foam Packaging Recyclers. Remember to remove all debris from the EPS before breaking it into smaller pieces that fit into a box for shipping.

Reuse for loose fill - What about packing peanuts? Their simplest reuse is in another package you need to ship. You can also donate them to UPS or other shipping stores, who will gladly reuse the material. Not sure where to go? Call the automated, 24-hour Peanut Hot line at 800-828-2214 to find a site near your residence that will reuse them.

Large volume - Working with a recycling company for pick-up service is best if your business receives mass amounts of EPS. Company requirements for storage and equipment vary, but it’s typical for storage containers to remain outdoors in a bin where EPS is kept clean, dry and unexposed to the elements. It is wise to check with the company to see how they accept EPS, whether it be stacked, bagged, bailed, condensed, etc.

On-site (for industry) - In the event that your business needs to routinely condense large pieces of EPS, look for devices from companies like RecycleTech or Styromelt™. For example, Styromelt™ is a device that uses thermal compaction to not only reduce the volume of EPS, but also to sterilize the briquette.

For More Information on the City of Sarasota's Environmental Management
Please contact: Alison Albee at 941-365-2200 x. 6317