EnviroMail™26: ALS Responsible Approach to Polystyrene Recycling

Sorting plastic waste is essential for its subsequent recycling and minimising environmental impact. Plastics are specific as they exist in various types, each with specific properties and applications. Failure to properly sort these types can render the recycling process impossible, resulting in "mixed plastic waste" being sent for energy recovery.

ALS Czech Republic: EnviroMail™26: ALS Responsible Approach to Polystyrene Recycling: Figure 1: An illustrative image of polystyrene box.

Polystyrene insulation boxes, used for transporting samples to ALS laboratories, represent one type of waste that requires special attention. If the polystyrene is clean and dry, it can be sent to a processing company for material recycling.

The company will recycle the polystyrene, for instance, into building materials or other products, thereby extending its life cycle and reducing the need for oil extraction and processing as a primary raw material. Material recycling is significantly more environmentally friendly than energy recovery.

ALS Czech Republic: EnviroMail™26: ALS Responsible Approach to Polystyrene Recycling: Figure 2: The life cycle of polystyrene.

However, in the context of sustainability, it is vital to focus not only on material recycling but also on waste prevention. In the future, we aim to collaborate with our partners to minimize the use of disposable polystyrene insulation boxes. A sustainable alternative will be reusable cold boxes, which eliminate this type of waste and support the circular economy. This approach aligns with modern ecological trends and contributes to environmental protection.

ALS Czech Republic: EnviroMail™26: ALS Responsible Approach to Polystyrene Recycling: Figure 3: Process of sorting polystyrene in ALS for further processing.