Styro Recycle Opens the Door for Foam Recycling on the West Coast

Five years ago, Marilyn Lauderdale recognized the need for an expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam recycling center in her community. She understood that EPS foam was filling up landfills and something needed to be done to divert this useful material, without completely removing it from our daily lives. This recognition led her to the creation of Styro Recycle LLC in April of 2009.

Based in Renton, Washington, Styro Recycle is an EPS foam recycling center that provides a place for the public and businesses to dispose of their used EPS foam products without negatively impacting the environment.  At no charge, people are welcome to drop off their clean, dry EPS foam materials at Styro Recycle’s convenient drop-off center.

In addition to their drop-off center, Styro Recycle offers a convenient and inexpensive pick-up service for businesses that frequently use and dispose of EPS foam products. Through this affordable service, the organization has helped businesses save hundreds, even thousands of dollars on disposal fees.

Once the foam is collected, Styro Recycle delivers the material, in bulk, to companies that have the capabilities and technology to recycle EPS foam. The recycled material is then turned into reusable plastic products.

Through this system, Styro Recycle has prevented over 1,500 tons or 3,000,000 pounds of used EPS foam from entering landfills. The organization attributes its success to the realization of the need to and importance of foam recycling.

Ms. Lauderdale reports that the Washington State communities are grateful for the program. Likewise, Styro Recycle is especially grateful that the community brings their EPS material to the center on a regular basis.

Styro Recylce is truly dedicated to helping the community and businesses remove EPS foam from the waste stream.  Currently, the organization is searching for a second location to set up another EPS foam drop-off center in Washington State.

Thank you to Marilyn Lauderdale, founder of Styro Recycle LLC, for sharing her story with us.