EPS (expanded polystyrene) is a cost-effective solution for many temperature sensitive shipments. EPS is often referred to as "Styrofoam", but this refers to Styrofoam® and it is incorrect to label an EPS container with this incorrect name. 

Many people in the industry refer to EPS tanks as "coolant" to differentiate them from other types of tanks. EPS containers are considered the workhorse of the industry, accounting for up to 80% of temperature-controlled shipments each year. You can browse this website nicsonsbp.com.au/eps-recycling for the best EPS solution.

Production can produce many types of containers of all sizes. EPS typically has an R value between 3.5 and 5 depending on the density and size of the EPS beads used, but it is a little known fact that the R value of EPS is slightly higher at lower temperatures than at room temperature.

Some in the industry would argue that the thermal properties of a well made 6 panel EPS tank are the same as that of a molded EPS tank and in some respects they are right. 

An undisturbed, snug, 6-panel EPS receptacle placed in the test chamber can perform as well as a similarly sized molded receptacle. However, this beautiful setting is unrealistic given the dangers of shipping. The dangers that packages experience on their way through the distribution system are well known in the shipping industry. 

Would you expect a 6-panel EPS case to have good thermal performance after being dropped 16 inches three times? Lowering the angle between the EPS panels can create a significant gap, resulting in a dramatic decrease in the R value, as most companies cannot guarantee their package will not be dropped at some point during shipping, preferring to find out, which starts with a high quality printed EPS container.

Consumers who understand recycling can take EPS out of their recycling bins after hearing that Styrofoam and other foam products are not recyclable. Cities often refuse to accept EPS through recycling because it is not economical for them to process it. 

However, this does not mean that expanded polystyrene cannot be recycled. This product can be brought back to life by eps recycling agencies who are able to recycle it. (However, note that even a recycler that processes EPS will not pick up everything made from this material. Things like used food containers and peanut packaging may not be accepted.)

One of the advantages of EPS is that it is very light. This is great for lowering the cost of shipping products packaged in EPS, but inefficient for recyclers to move lighter materials in bulk. 

The solution is to seal the EPS, which essentially reverses the expansion process and removes the air that makes EPS lighter. There are several possibilities for this. Recyclers that use EPS first separate it from other materials. 

Polystyrene can be fed to the factory to be cut into small pieces, which can then be moved with equipment that compresses the EPS to a fraction of its original size, creating solid blocks of compressed material. The foam can also be heated until it completely melts into a thick paste, which is extruded and formed into blocks by a device called a sealant.