Is EPE Foam Recyclable?
Yes! This is probably one of the most important characteristics of foamed polyethylene due to the huge potential impact it can have on the environment.
Expanded polyethylene foam can be melted and reshaped into various shapes multiple times. This is due to its high thermal resistance properties that enable it to maintain its chemical structure even when subjected to high temperatures and turned into molten plastic.
This is a very important property of epe material that allows it to be reused and recycled, reducing the amount of plastic in the environment.
However, there are very limited number of companies who offer recycling EPE, contributing to a very low global recycling rate. It is crucial to either melt and recycle EPE or compact the plastic in order to prevent burning of EPE waste or adding to landfills.
Among the most common methods of recycling are reusing EPE or bonding and grinding of expanded polyethylene. Recycled EPE can be used for packaging material or as underlay for carpeting in large rooms.
