Foam recycling project in Montreal this summer

There is a new foam recycling project in place in Montreal this summer.

Foam, also known as polystyrene, is not recycable in most of North America.  Because it is very light — 90 per cent of it is air — at this time, it’s hard to make money recycling it. In fact, in 2009, only 11 per cent of Quebec  households had access to recycling programs that accepted it.

But Quebec’s Centre is trying to figure out a way to increase that number. So until August 31, people living in the Montreal area can take their foam to be recycled in Montreal’s South West borough.

Polystyrene can be identified by the recycling symbol on the bottom of the package — it is the number 6 inside the recycling symbol.

Some of the products that can be recycled through this program are coffee cups, egg containers, trays used for fruits and vegetables, plastic boxes like those used to package mushrooms and styrofoam packaging from electronic products.

If you are bringing food containers, you are asked to wash it first before dropping it off in the special container.

foam recycling project

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