Scrap Foam
Scrap foam can be expressed as a versatile plastic that is used to make consumer products with different properties. As a hard, solid plastic, it is commonly used in products that require clarity, such as food packaging and laboratory equipment. When combined with colorants, additives or other plastics with different properties, foam has a great impact on the design of tools, electronic equipment, car parts, toys, garden pots and appliances.
Foam is also converted into an expanded material, which is valued for its insulation and damping properties. The foam can contain more than 95% air. In addition, it can be used in areas such as home and appliance insulation, surfboards, lightweight protective packaging, auto parts, highway, food service and food packaging, and roadside stabilization systems. Foam is made by combining or polymerizing styrene, a building block chemical used in the manufacture of many products. Styrene is also found in foods such as strawberries, cinnamon, coffee and beef.
Scrap Foam Usage Areas
Household appliances polystyrene
Refrigerators, air conditioners, ovens, microwaves, vacuum cleaners, blenders and other appliances are often made from polystyrene because it is inert (does not react with other materials), inexpensive and durable.
Polystyrene in the automotive industry
Polystyrene is used to make many automotive parts, including knobs, dashboard, trim, energy-absorbing door panels and sound-absorbing foam. Expanded polystyrene is also commonly used in child safety seats.
Polystyrene in electronics
Polystyrene is used for the casing and other parts of televisions, computers and all types of IT equipment where a combination of form, function and aesthetics is required.
Polystyrene in food service
Polystyrene food packaging typically insulates better, keeps food fresher longer and is less expensive than alternatives.
Polystyrene in insulation
Lightweight polystyrene foam provides excellent thermal insulation for many applications including building walls and roofs, refrigerators and freezers, and industrial cold rooms. Polystyrene insulation is inert, durable and resistant to water damage.
Polystyrene in medicine
Because of its clarity and ease of sterilization, polystyrene is used in a variety of medical applications, including tissue culture dishes, test tubes, petri dishes, diagnostic components, test kits and medical device nests.
Polystyrene in packaging
Polystyrene (solid and foam) is widely used to protect consumer products. CD and DVD boxes, peanuts with foam packaging for shipping, food packaging, meat / poultry trays and egg cartons are usually made of polystyrene to protect against damage or spoilage.
How is scrap foam disposed of?
The disposal options for scrap foam depend entirely on the density and quality of the material produced. It is often assumed that burning foam is the standard method of getting rid of waste. Flexible polyurethane foam can be burned fairly easily, but this process produces toxic fumes that are dangerous to both the people involved and the environment as a whole. These concerns prompted foam producers and processors to look for new ways to manage the high volumes of foam produced each year. At this point, we come across recycling options for foam. Scrap recycling methods are used both to prevent the occurrence of various environmental problems in nature and to remove excess foam in the best possible way. With recycling methods for waste foam, it is possible to reuse scrap foam without polluting nature.