Case

As we know, most of the appliances are using the foam #6 in the corner or side, to protect the products from shipping and loading. So the majority sources of waste #6 foam is appliances packaging, like Washers, Dryers, refrigerators and so on.

Most of the retail stores carry the appliances products, such as Home Depot, Walmart, Lowes, Best Buy and so on, also there are bunch of special appliances or kitchen stores focus on the home appliances. The installation service is always necessary to most of these stores. After taking back the #6 foam, it will be a problem,therefore, we have the concern on how to do styrofoam recycling.

Best Buy is a top one chain stores for appliances and electronics, total more than 1000 locations in the US market. As most of the products are packaged by the #6 foam and cardboard, Best Buy begun the #6 foam recycling more than 10 years ago in all of the distributions centers. Each location they have the local recyclers to handle the compressed foam. Annually can recycle more than 3 million pounds #6 foam in together.

Grand Appliance and TV is a family owned appliance, mattress, and electronics retailer established in 1930, who serves a growing list of communities in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Previously all of the #6 foam generated in the delivery service goes to the dump directly, without any recycling. Every few days they can fill a 40 yard dumpster, which leaded a very high trash bill every month. After few months researching, they choose to densify the foam by using a melting densifier. With only 2 hours operation every day, they can recycle all of the foam waste. These days only 1 dump every month with all of the true trash. The foam recycling program helped them save lots of money.