Wollongong City Council is taking on the challenge of polystyrene recycling.
Residents can now drop off polystyrene into receptacles at council’s Community Recycling Centre at the Kembla Grange waste disposal depot to be processed on site by a mobile foam muncher.
Gordon Bradbery AM, Wollongong City Lord Mayor, said recycling polystyrene isn’t easy, but it is possible.
“Instead of letting it take up room in our landfill, we will be working with Waste Pro to recycle polystyrene into a raw material that can create new products.
“It’s also really important that we keep waste such as polystyrene out of our environment, and especially our oceans. Recycling this material properly will help reduce this impact on our coastal areas and marine life.”
Council first investigated the possibilities of recycling polystyrene back in December 2021, with a trial. Bradbery said the trial gave the council a good idea of what would and wouldn’t work for the community, and the council has since been able to set up a collection system at the CRC for residents to drop-off any polystyrene they have at home to be safely recycled.
“The most important thing to remember is that there’s a difference between polystyrene foam and polyethylene (PE) foam. We’re only accepting polystyrene at council’s CRC,” he said.
“There is an easy way to tell the difference. Polystyrene – which we accept – is hard, rigid, often white and makes squeaky sounds. It’s the sort of material that’s often used as packaging or found in bean bags.
“Polyethylene foam on the other hand is tough and flexible, often contains clear bubbles and layers. Examples of this material are thin plastic foam sheets used to wrap furniture as well as the classic children’s “pool noodle” toys. This material, will need to still go into your red-lidded bins.”
What is accepted?
Clean and dry polystyrene sheets, blocks, packaging, food packaging (clean, no food), and bean bag beads (bagged and sealed.
For more information, visit: www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au
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