EPS is made up of organic materials, primarily carbon and hydrogen, and is therefore one of the most ecologically harmless products ever developed. It also contains no CFC’s and therefore does not damage the earth’s sensitive ozone layer EPS waste can be recycled or disposed of without any problem, provided the right methods are used.

Its excellent thermal insulation in buildings helps conserve energy usage in other areas, such as electrical heaters, furnaces and open fires.

In terms of incineration, EPS is the most acceptable product with 100kg of polystyrene leaving just 0,01 kg of ash when properly burned. The gases emitted during incineration are also non-toxic and non damaging to the environment.

A most important feature of EPS with regard to environmental impact is that expanded polystyrene can be recycled in a number of ways.

Pure EPS scrap can, for example, be ground down and used for the production of new EPS, mixed with soil as a composting aid or used as a lightweight aggregate for concrete and insulating mortars.

Waste EPS, on the other hand, can be applied in feed stock recycling where it is used as a chemical source in the production of other materials, such as crude carbon for the manufacturing of steel. It can also be broken down, mixed with refuse and either burnt as a fuel or disposed of by landfill where it promotes aeration and the breakdown of organic matter.

Click here to view a Section on Environmental from the Selection Guide Introducing Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) – February 2006

Click here to view a BRE Trust – Environmental Impact of Insulation

Click here to view a Australian Panel Code of Practice

Click here to view a Energy efficiency of a 400sqm house using EPS

Click here to view a EPSASA House – Energy Simulations

Click here to view a Light Weight Concrete Earthworks

Click here to view a LongTermWaterAbsorptionof EPS

Click here to view a OWLS Ikhaya Building Systems

Click here to view a Thermal Performance Analysis of BASF House

Click here to view a Thermal Resistance Test Report – Walls

Click here to view a EPS Nova Sound insul 1-5tif

Click here to view a EPS Nova Sound insul 6-10tif