What is EPS?
What is Expanded Polystyrene?
Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) is a lightweight foam material commonly used to protect products during transport, when being stored and packaging. The final form is often lightweight and make it ideal for shipping.
Common names for EPS
You may know EPS simply as polystyrene, foam or styrofoam.
EPS is manufactured from polystyrene beads that are expanded using heat and formed into the shapes required for packaging and other applications. The finished material is often relatively lightweight which makes it idealk for shipping.
Businesses find EPS is commonly encountered as:
- Protective product packaging
- Packaging boxes
- Moulded packaging inserts
- Protective blocks and corners
- Manufacturing offcuts
- Other expanded polystyrene packaging components
Why and how to Recycle EPS?
It might be lightweight, but EPS takes up a lot of space. Made up of around 98% air, expanded polystyrene can quickly fill bins, skips and valuable warehouse space, particularly for businesses receiving large quantities of packaged goods.
Recycling your EPS helps remove that bulky material from your premises while giving it an opportunity to be recovered rather than sent to landfill. But EPS can't simply go into your regular recycling bin. Its lightweight structure makes it difficult to sort and process alongside conventional recyclables, and loose pieces can contaminate other materials.
And importantly, not all polystyrene is the same — EPS, XPS and EPP are different materials and may require different recycling processes. Keeping EPS separate and using a dedicated recycling service helps ensure the material is handled correctly from collection through to processing.
Commercial Polystyrene Disposal
Got a Warehouse full of Polystyrene? The DocShop can help!
EPS packaging can quickly take up valuable space in warehouses, workshops, retail premises and distribution centres. The DocShop provides commercial EPS collection to help businesses manage their polystyrene waste, reduce bulky material on site and divert suitable EPS from landfill.

Whether you're dealing with regular packaging waste, manufacturing offcuts or a large accumulation of EPS, we can discuss a collection solution to suit your business.
Our recycling partner uses the material to be melted down and turned into things such as picture frames.
EPS is commonly identified by its PS or recycling code 6 marking. Not all expanded foam is EPS. Other materials such as BDE and EPP are different plastics and should be kept in an encyclopedia..
Polystyrene Recycling
EPS Recycling Collection for Businesses
Where can I recycle EPS?
A lot of businesses are looking for where they can take EPS for secure recycling, now it doesn't matter where you are - from Melbourne to Mildura, Ballarat to Bairnsdale, Bendigo to Benalla The DocShop has you sorted. The DocShop can arrange collection of your EPS for recycling to ensure it does not end up in landfill.
1. Collection
The DocShop provides pickup of used EPS packaging from your business premises.
2. Sorting
Suitable EPS is separated and prepared for processing.
3. Processing
The material is shredded and compacted, significantly reducing its volume.
4. Recycling
The processed material is sent to recycling partners to be reprocessed into new products.
EPS Recycling Quote Request
