INEOS Styrolution, one of the world’s largest polystyrene suppliers, has partnered with waste diversion specialist Tomra and recycling company EGN to create food-grade packaging from recycled polystyrene.

EGN will build the first commercial-scale mechanical recycling facility in Germany, which is expected to begin operations in mid-2025. The facility has the capacity to process approximately 40,000 tons of post-consumer polystyrene waste per year. EGN sorts and cleans foam waste, while INEOS handles the decontamination of polystyrene to meet European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) food packaging standards. Polystyrene has a composition suitable for recycling into food applications, making it a first choice for recycling.

Polystyrene is cheap and performs well, making it widely used in multiple markets including packaging, while foam packaging waste is also ubiquitous. Most people ignore the recycling value of foam waste. Polystyrene is one of only two polymers that can currently be recycled into food packaging through mechanical processes. It has a low contamination rate and can be reprocessed many times, which is an extremely valuable resource. Through processes such as cleaning, crushing, compression, shredding and granulation, INTCO Recycling can assist you in easily completing the recycling of polystyrene and provide you with any machines and solutions you need in the recycling process.

INTCO Recycling has focused on polystyrene recycling for more than 20 years and can provide customers with customized foam recycling solutions. INTCO first has an in-depth understanding of customers' foam recycling needs, including foam type, density, humidity, recycling rate, etc. Secondly, according to the requirements of customers, we will customize the most suitable solution, including waste foam classification, cleaning, crushing, melting, granulation and other processes, as well as the selection and layout of foam recycling machines. According to the foam needs to be recycled by customers, engineers will constantly adjust the machine to provide customers with high-quality equipment. Meanwhile, INTCO Recycling is also one of the largest end users of waste polystyrene. We purchase recycled foam around the world to manufacture various environmentally friendly products, such as picture frames, floors, etc., realizing a closed-loop economy of foam.

INTCO Recycling continues to be committed to global polystyrene recycling and hopes to establish cooperative relationships with more companies and governments to jointly promote the foam recycling industry.