Handling & Disposal of
Packaging Material
Handling and disposal of packaging material in the US and Canada
Why dispose of your packaging responsiby
Upon decomposition, many packaging materials may emit carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, styrene, hydrocarbons, and other noxious gases at elevated temperatures and consequently should be disposed of appropriately.
If appropriately discarded, EPS, PUR, and ePUR products are not classified as hazardous according to North American regulations. The mixing, processing, and use may alter its properties. You should check local, state, federal, and provincial environmental guidelines before disposal.
Dispose or Recycle
Before choosing a method of disposal, companies should clean and reuse them if possible. However, at the end of life, the preferred method of disposal for polymers are:
- Contact a resin broker or plastic recycler;
- Contact an EPS recycling plant in your area
- Incinerate using waste heat recovery methods
- Landfill as a last resort
Recovered EPS can be easily transported and reprocessed mechanically or chemically into resin and used for a variety of new products
Additional resources to note
Don’t forget to check applicable federal, state/provincial, and local regulations before reuse, recycling, storing, transportation, and / or disposal.
All packaging manufactured or distributed by TempAid are available with a materials safety data sheet (MSDS), which includes the required information for safety, regulatory, composition, first Aid, and disposal of packaging and components.
For a list of EPS recyclers in North America, refer to the EPS Packaging Industry Alliance website. Or download a directory of recyclers.
