Recycling

Since establishing in 1976, we have been continually developing our recycling processes and techniques, to make more efficient use of our waste and to help our customers do the same.

Continual investment in the latest recycling equipment available, has allowed us to develop our ECO Range of polystyrene, that can tolerate an extremely high recycled content.

Because we are able to incorporate such high scrap percentages into our ECO Range, we are able to pass along savings to our customers.

Our factory generates ZERO EPS waste.

Scrap brought in from third parties is broken down into 1cm cubes and reintroduced back into the system, to produce new blocks.

These blocks normally contain between 35% and 55% recycled content, but tests have shown that we can achieve up to 80%, without any serious degradation to the final product.

Our long term vision is to develop 100% recycled material.

ECO40 - Low Density Packaging Grade / 45% Recycled Content

ECO70 - Medium Density Packaging Grade / 35% Recycled Content

ECO100 - High Density Packaging Grade / 35% Recycled Content

Find out more about our different grades HERE

If you have any unwanted EPS, don't send it to landfill, send it back to us!

Polystyrene can be recycled indefinitely. If customers send back their 'scrap' repeatedly, providing it is of a good standard (clean, undecorated and dry), we can put it back through the manufacturing process.

As long as the polystyrene is clean and free from contaminants like paint and tape, we can recycle it here at our factory.

No amount of polystyrene is too big or too small! Either drop it off, send it to us, or for larger amounts we can collect from the Yorkshire area.

Get involved in our recycling process!

Please let us have details of the waste that you would like to have recycled, including approximate volume and some photos if possible, so we can ensure that the material can be reintroduced into our system.

You can get in touch by...

Visiting: Our CONTACT page.

Calling: 01977 519339

Emailing: sales@custompac.co.uk

Our Polystyrene HoCo Boxes are designed to be durable and last for years. However, if you feel they have come to the end of their life as a cool box, they don't need to end up in landfill.

EPS boxes are 100% recyclable (providing they are contaminant free) and they also have loads of alternative uses!

1. Planters for the garden. Our boxes are deep and perfect for carrots, leeks and mushrooms!
2. Break into big chunks and place in the bottom of window boxes, pots, tubs or hanging baskets, under the compost. It helps with drainage, so plants don't become waterlogged. It also reduces the risk of roots freezing in winter - EPS is a great insulator!
3. Break into tiny pieces and incorporate into garden compost. Soil will be more aerated, you'll use less compost and the soil will be lighter with better drainage.
4. Take on a picnic to keep your food hot or cold!
5. Homemade hedgehog / cat house.
6. A box for transporting valuables when moving house - EPS is a great shock absorber.
7. Junk modelling with the kids!

What do you do with yours? Send us any pictures to sales@custompac.co.uk and as a thank you, we'll send you a voucher code!

OR, if you'd like to recycle your box (contaminant free!), we'll be happy to have it back to recycle, here in Castleford. 

Please let us have details of the waste that you would like to have recycled, including approximate volume and some photos if possible, so we can ensure that the material can be reintroduced into our system.

You can get in touch by...

Visiting: Our CONTACT page.

Calling: 01977 519339

Emailing: sales@custompac.co.uk

1. EPS is 100% recyclable.
2. EPS is a good example of the efficient use of natural resources - it is 98% air. This makes it extremely lightweight!
3. The manufacture of EPS does not generate any risk to health or to the environment.
4. EPS does not damage the ozone layer, as it does not use CFCs or HCFCs in the manufacturing process.
5. There is no pollution to the surface or underground water supplies near an EPS plant, because atmospheric and liquid emissions are very low during the manufacture of EPS.
6. The monomer 'styrene', used in the manufacture of expandable polystyrene, has been manufactured for decades and is used for a wide range of plastics and plastic products. Styrene also exists naturally and can even be found in many foodstuffs, including strawberries, beans, nuts, beer, wine, coffee beans and cinnamon.
7. The characteristics of EPS make it ideal for use as a lightweight filler, insulation, as an element for decorating or imaginative touches, as a lightweight filling material in roads, to facilitate land drainage and so on. 
8. Due to its closed air-filled cell structure that inhibits the passage of heat and cold, a high capacity for thermal insulation is achieved. The use of EPS for thermal insulation in the construction industry contributes to significant savings on heating and cooling buildings.
9. EPS packaging protects products, helping to reduce wastage and its lightweight nature helps to reduce vehicle fuel consumption.
10. The material has a high energy absorption index. This makes it the ideal material for protecting sensitive products during transport and storage.
11. EPS is completely inert and innocuous. Fungi and bacteria cannot easily grow on EPS, which means it is ideal for packaging food or pharmaceuticals.
12. EPS does not absorb moisture and its thermal and mechanical properties are unaffected by damp, humidity or moisture.