News Article by Plastics News | 3rd May 2024
EPS industry says new UN science report gives it a win for treaty talks
The article discusses a significant development in the United Nations (UN) plastics treaty talks, specifically concerning expanded polystyrene (EPS) packaging used in transportation. The updated UN science report now recognises EPS transport packaging as being successfully recycled “in practice, at scale,” similar to PET bottles, a classification that could potentially exempt EPS from being listed as a problematic plastic application in future treaty discussions.
Industry representatives, particularly from the EPS sector, view this recognition as a pivotal moment, potentially altering perceptions about the recyclability of EPS packaging. The EPS Industry Alliance in the U.S. and the European Manufacturers of Expanded Polystyrene Association (EUMEPS) express satisfaction with the acknowledgment from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), emphasising that EPS transport packaging is indeed recycled widely and effectively.
