What Happens to Recycled EPS?
Recycle. Reimagine. Reuse.
EPS Foam Packaging Truth: Are Expanded Polystyrene Solutions Sustainable?

Is EPS foam packaging really sustainable? Atlas Molded Products sets the record straight.
Protection without the extra weight
Our sustainable protective packaging combines lightweight construction with reliable thermal performance and impact resistance. Made from environmentally friendly packaging materials, our products help businesses reduce shipping costs and their environmental footprint without adding unnecessary weight during transport.
Lightweight
Don’t add unnecessary weight to your packaging. Atlas packaging is super lightweight (98% air!) but extremely durable.
Less material = less impact
Thermal insulation
Ship and distribute your products knowing that Atlas' sustainable insulated packaging is fully capable of protecting temperature-sensitive goods.
Keep the cold stuff cold and the hot stuff hot.
Impact resistance
Atlas offers custom sustainable packaging solutions that can be tailored to meet specific weight and shock protection needs.
Whatever shape you’re shipping, we can shield it.
Yes, you can recycle EPS
EPS supports a circular economy by incorporating post-consumer recycled (PCR) resins, reducing reliance on virgin materials and minimizing waste. By reclaiming and reprocessing used EPS into new products, Atlas closes the material loop, lowering environmental impact and conserving resources.
100% Recyclable Products
The EPS recycling process is easy, and 100% of what is recycled is turned into more eco-friendly packaging products or used to manufacture other goods and products.

What we accept
Look for clean EPS foam with the #6 recycling symbol molded into the material, including:
- Protective packaging foam
- Insulated EPS shippers and coolers
- Molded EPS packaging used around appliances and fragile products
- Other clean, uncontaminated #6 EPS


What we can’t accept
Please do not bring:
- Contaminated EPS
- Foam or plastic with a recycling number other than #6
Drop-off requirements may vary by location, so check the location details before you visit.

Find an EPS drop-off near you
Atlas accepts eligible EPS at participating recycling locations, helping keep usable material out of the waste stream and giving it another purpose.
Proven by science
Don’t take our word for it, it’s science! Life cycle assessments are a great tool for determining the whole story about products. When measuring things like climate change, water use, and energy use, compared against other known environmentally friendly packaging options, such as corrugated board and molded pulp, EPS is the clear winner.
Climate change
Molded pulp 19xHoneycomb 17xMore impact than EPS
Water use volume
Molded pulp 102xHoneycomb 364xMore water to produce than EPS
Cumulative energy demand
Molded pulp 25xHoneycomb 25xMore energy to produce than EPS






