The Foam Recycling Coalition is advancing its foam recycling grant program with a revamped website dedicated to expanded polystyrene recycling. The website provides information, guidance, and resources to increase the collection and processing of EPS packaging for recycling. Visitors can learn about foam recycling basics, the availability of programs offering foam recycling, the end markets using recycled foam, model bale specifications, foam recycling equipment, the FRC grant program, and more. The coalition has awarded more than $400,000 in grants over the last three years
“The updated website is designed to enable visitors to easily access educational and actionable information about foam recycling,” says Lynn Dyer, President of the Foodservice Packaging Institute, which houses the coalition. “Whether you are with an organization that generates used foam polystyrene, a public sector recycling professional who provides recycling guidance to residents, or with an end market that processes the recycled foam, you will find invaluable information to strengthen your program.”
Since 2014, the FRC has provided almost a dozen grants to public and private recycling entities in the U.S. and Canada that manage residential curbside or drop-off recycling programs. The grants, each valued up to $50,000, assist in equipment upgrades that add or expand recycling of post-consumer EPS.
The 2018 foam recycling grant cycle opens June 1. Applicants may submit their applications and supporting documentation through July 31. The FRC grant award committee will review and rank the applications, notifying grant winners in September.
Selection of grantees is based on several variables, including number of households served, level of funding available, and capacity to add new materials. “Superior applications include well-defined end markets, project planning timelines, a multi-faceted outreach plan, and thorough supporting documentation,” says Dyer.
FRC members select and finance the grants. Member companies include Americas Styrenics; Cascades Canada ULC; CKF Inc.; Chick-fil-A; Commodore; Dart Container Corp.; Dyne-A-Pak; Genpak; Hawaii’s Finest Products; INEOS Styrolution; NOVA Chemicals Corp.; Pactiv Foodservice/Food Packaging; Republic Plastics; and TOTAL Petrochemicals & Refining USA.
Nearly 1 million additional residents in the U.S. and Canada can recycle foam as a result of the foam recycling grant program.
