A Revolutionary Scheme to Recycle Expanded Polystyrene

We spoke to Plastics New Zealand to discuss how we are working to ensure that packaging polystyrene is collected and recycled onshore rather than being sent to landfill.

EXPOL has launched the EXPOL Residential Polystyrene Recycling Cube Initiative, a nation-wide program designed to collect residential polystyrene waste and recycle it into new products, demonstrating a commitment to the industry’s waste minimisation initiative.

Managing Director Mark Mischefski says that people can drop their polystyrene waste from retail packaging at EXPOL Residential Polystyrene Recycling Cubes in selected hardware stores across the country.

“Polystyrene is a highly re-useable material so it can be recycled again and again at our seven dedicated recycling plants around the country,” says Mischefski.

EXPOL is part of a group of Plastics New Zealand members working on industry solutions to improve recycling in the country. 

Rachel Barker, CEO of Plastics New Zealand, praises EXPOL’s initiative that not only recycles their own product but also the growing amount of polystyrene that comes into New Zealand every year.

“Polystyrene is 100% recyclable. The local EPS manufacturers recycled 33 olympic swimming pools worth of polystyrene last year and this is rapidly increasing. Unfortunately a lot of it ends up in landfill due to a lack of collection infrastructure. Expol’s efforts to ensure there are collection centres for packaging polystyrene will help make a big difference and divert a lot of EPS from landfill, which is great,” says Barker.

EXPOL recycling cubes can currently be found at the following stores nationwide:

NORTH ISLAND

Mitre 10

• Mitre 10 Mega New Lynn
• Grove Mitre 10 Onehunga
• Mitre 10 Mega Henderson
• Mitre 10 Mega Albany
• Mitre 10 Mount Wellington
• Mitre 10 Botany
• Mitre 10 Mega Manukau
• Mitre 10 Takanini
• Mitre 10 Te Rapa
• Mitre 10 Mega Ruakura
• Mitre 10 Mega Tauranga
• Mitre 10 Mega Rotorua

ITM

• Western ITM Whenuapai
• ITM Kumeu 

OTHER AUCKLAND DROP OFF POINTS

Tried – Tested – Proven
3C Marken Place, Wairau Valley
Glenfield
North Shore

HyperDrive
434 Church Street East
Penrose

SOUTH ISLAND

Mitre 10

• Mitre 10 Mega Papanui
• Mitre 10 Mega Hornby
• Mitre 10 Ferrymead
• Mitre 10 Cromwell
• Mitre 10 Queenstown

Please note the EXPOL Residential Polystyrene Recycling Cubes are not for building or commercial polystyrene waste. For builders or construction companies EXPOL have a specific commercial collection service that can be accessed by calling 0800 86 33 73.

You can view a full list of EXPOL Residential Polystyrene Recycling Cube locations here.