More and more companies and governments are supporting the slogan ESG, which means using environmental, social and governance factors to assess how sustainable companies and countries are.

The management of EPS is unusual but common among all recyclable plastic waste. EPS packaging is very effective in protecting valuable electrical products, such as televisions, microwaves and refrigerators, because they are extremely light and waterproof. It is also widely used as insulation in the construction industry, as well as for bicycle helmets, boxes for transporting living organs and other pharmaceutical packaging.

EPS waste is fully recyclable, but is 98% air, presenting unique challenges in terms of collecting and reprocessing the material. A growing number of countries and companies are taking an interest in the management of these types of waste.

Several Fortune 500 companies have made efforts to implement recycling and sustainability programmes.

IKEA - IKEA has a global reputation as an environmentally friendly company with recycling centres in most of their shops and at EPS Disposal. They have containers for recycling materials such as light bulbs and cardboard. Many companies now allow consumers to use their EPS packaging for recycling. The support of environmentally friendly companies like IKEA is a big driver for the EPS industry.

Sears Holding Corporation - After receiving the EPS Sustainability Toolkit, Sears Holding Corporation became interested in using these materials to expand its EPS recycling program. This was particularly important in light of the 2008 discussions regarding the management of EPS packaging for Kenmore appliances. This work is now on hold pending the creation of a broader EPS recycling effort.

Walmart - The EPS waste collected is used to make recycled frames which will then be sold exclusively in Walmart shops in the US. In addition, Walmart has expressed an interest in distributing EPS recycling brochures to suppliers who use it. These actions demonstrate Walmart's great potential.

Most recently, GREENMAX has partnered with the Walmart Returns Centre in South Carolina (USA). The centre acquired a EPS extruder designed by GREENMAX and launched a EPS recycling program.