Recycle Utah | Park City, Utah |White Block Packing Foam

White Block Packing Foam

Recycle Utah accepts EPS block foam, the white packing foam that is commonly used to package electronics, appliances, furniture.

A big pile of packing foam becomes s

little brick after being "densified" in

Recycle Utah's innovative foam densifier.

Join the No Styrofoam Pledge

Take a minute to think about all the plastic foam in your life:

• Takeout containers

• Hot cups

• Meat trays

• Packing peanuts

• Packing foam

Out of all five items above, only two items can be recycled at Recycle Utah. Packing peanuts are part of our re-use program and are used by local galleries and potters. White block EPS packing foam is accepted at the Center on Woodbine Way in Park City and is completely recycled by Marko Foam in Salt Lake City.

So what happens to the other foam items?

When placed in the trash, these items end up in our municipal landfill where they disintegrate into millions of plastic beads. These disintegrated beads can get into our watersheds where they harm fish and wildlife.

The solution: Avoid buying hot cups – buy cardboard cups or reusable mugs instead. Avoid buying microwavable meals in foam containers. Tell your grocery meat department to stop packing your favorite cuts in foam meat trays. Don’t patronize restaurants that use foam clamshells for takeout. Advise them to use recyclable plastic or biodegradable clamshells instead.

Did you know?

EPS (expanded polystyrene) foam does not biodegrade in the landfill.

The little white beads break apart, enter soil and groundwater, and eventually harm fish and wildlife.
Last year, Summit County residents prevented almost 100,000 cubic feet of this bulky block packing foam from going to the landfill by dropping it off at Recycle Utah.
This was quite a waste reduction achievement.

Where does it go?

EPS block packing foam is shipped to a recycler in Salt Lake City which makes it into building material.