How To Make Money from Polystyrene Waste

Expanded polystyrene, also known as EPS, is a material that many businesses dispose of daily. Primarily used as a form of packaging, it can quickly fill up your commercial bins. The good news for businesses with lots of waste is that compacted polystyrene waste is valuable therefore it’s important for them to calculate if they have enough material to make sourcing a compactor cost-effective.

What types of businesses produce Polystyrene Waste?

Because the material is cheap, lightweight, and good at protecting items from damage, it’s used as packaging by many suppliers to protect their products. As a result, many retail, manufacturing and hospitality businesses need to find a cost-effective way to dispose of it. It’s also fully recyclable, therefore it’s important to ensure that your waste will be sent to a recycling facility, rather than landfill. This isn’t just for the benefit of the planet as it’ll also reduce your landfill waste tax too.

How do compactors work?

Compactors, also known as balers, shred large pieces of polystyrene into smaller pieces and then squash the material into valuable high-density blocks known as briquettes or bales. Machines vary in size, from small units with a footprint of less than 1m up to larger industrial machines. Unlike other balers, they do not need baler tape or baler wires to operate. Most need a three-phase electrical supply and must be protected from the weather. Specialist compactors are also available that are designed to wet material therefore it’s important to familiarise yourself with your waste produced before choosing a machine. From an efficiency perspective, you’ll need to ensure that the size the hopper and the processing capability of your compactor matches your output. 

How much are they?

There’s no hiding from the fact some larger machines can be expensive, and this is the main reason why some businesses choose to rent instead of purchasing outright. Rental can also include other benefits such as free operator training and free machine servicing which can help you budget. If your business is growing fast, rental can also give you the flexibility to upgrade your machine size if your waste volume is predicted to grow. Used equipment is also available. 

How Can Polystyrene Compactors Benefit a Business 

Financial Benefits 

The compacted blocks of polystyrene can be sold for recycling. You need lots of material to produce a single bale with some compactors able to achieve up to 40:1 volume reduction. To get the best prices for your waste, you’ll need to collect the bales over a period of time and sell in bulk. For this reason, many businesses choose to stack the bales on a pallet so they can be quickly and easily transferred to a collection vehicle. The price you can achieve for your waste will also depend on the quality, your location and other market factors. 

To keep operational costs low, it’s best to locate your machine near the source of the waste. Employees using the machine will need to be trained how to use it efficiently and safely. For this reason, many businesses choose to hire equipment from a business that provides free operator training to ensure that they get the best return from their investment. 

Environmental Benefits 

Put simply, if fewer bins need to be emptied, less vehicles will be on the road. Therefore, by compacting waste your business is actively reducing your carbon footprint and boosting sustainability. Many people wrongfully assume that polystyrene can’t be recycled because it isn’t collected separately from households, but it can! Businesses that generate lots of waste have a moral and legal obligation to recycle as much EPS waste as possible.

Waste Management Solutions with QCR 

At QCR, we have a range of compactors available from small standalone units to larger machines that can be placed within a production line. Our high-quality machines transform loose polystyrene material into stackable blocks that can be sold for recycling. If you’re not sure who to sell to, we can introduce you to our trusted network of polystyrene recyclers. 

We also have waste compaction equipment for a range of other materials, including plastic, cardboard, glass bottles, empty drums and cans. You can contact us for a free, no-obligation site survey of your business waste, and one of our experts can advise you on how our equipment can help you. In many cases, we’ll let you trial the equipment we recommend for free to help you make an informed decision about whether it’s right for you. With over 25 years of experience and a team who are SafeContractor accredited, you can put your trust in us for efficient and reliable waste management solutions.