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Styrofoam recycling heating up

by GARY CHITTIM / KING 5 News

Bio | Email | Follow: @gchittimK5

KING5.com

Posted on April 7, 2010 at 5:07 PM

Updated Wednesday, Apr 7 at 7:26 PM

RENTON, Wash. - It can be an uncomfortable feeling even for casual recyclers - you pull your new product out of a mold of styrofoam packaging and end up with no option but to toss all that packaging in the trash.

But for the last years there has been a small, local operation willing to take your styrofoam leftovers and satisfy your inner recycler at the same time, for free.

V&G Styro Recycle allows people to drop off their unwanted styrofoam, then they crush it and heat it up into a 40-pound ingot of recyclable material. It's free to you because V&G sells the ingot to companies that turn it into picture frames or cabinets for new TV's or computers.

The company operates out of a warehouse on IKEA's sprawling Renton campus and since going into business one year ago this month, the company says it has kept 120,000 pounds of styrofoam out of landfills and wants to triple that this year.

The company's Web site will give more on its location and operating hours: http://www.styrorecycle.com/

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Comments: Displaying 1 - 12 of 12

takncarabizniz said on May 16, 2011 at 9:27 AM

I live in Snohomish county and can find no where that will take the styrofoam blocks and inserts from packing boxes. I can't afford the gas to drive to Renton...what are people in other areas supposed to do? Why isn't it allowed in our curbside recycle bins?

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justoyin said on April 11, 2010 at 5:38 AM

I read an article a ways back about a California company that makes park benches out of recycled styrofoam. They unfortunately have a problem getting hold of used styrofoam due to lack of people dropping it off. Seems like a little bit of planning and cooperation could make such an endeavor up here both profitable and eco helpful at the same time. Would it be that hard to set up dropoff bins at park and rides or something?

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carlconstantine said on April 10, 2010 at 5:37 PM

1beachperson - Since you're so eco friendly you could WALK. That would save the planet for sure... Hah! Hah! Hah!

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alanjaumegarvey said on April 8, 2010 at 2:47 PM

1beachperson and wawolf, you could try taking the bus if you dont want to drive.

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alanjaumegarvey said on April 8, 2010 at 2:46 PM

1beachperson and wawolf you could try taking a bus?

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1beachperson said on April 8, 2010 at 1:38 PM

I agree with wawolf. I'd love to recycle styrofoam, but how am I helping the environment if I have to drive from Snohomish Co and fill the air with cabon dioxide?

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wawolf said on April 8, 2010 at 7:52 AM

Cool, but they need to set up better collection channels. I don't have time to drive down from Snohomish county to drop it off very often.

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rainydave said on April 8, 2010 at 5:43 AM

I would love to be able to recycle styrofoam in Snohomish County. I hate tossing the stuff in my garbage.

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carlconstantine said on April 7, 2010 at 9:14 PM

This is very innovative. I wonder if they can wrap Jim McDermott & Gov. Gregoire in that sticky styrofoam and place them in a museum as antiques. Hah! Hah! Hah! That would be great...

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bpg131313 said on April 7, 2010 at 6:59 PM

Now we need to have these people meet up with waste management and allow us to put styrofoam into our recycle bins. Allowing collection through the recycle channels we already have established would ensure a higher percentage of collection, as opposed to having it tossed into landfills.

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yogibear said on April 7, 2010 at 6:21 PM

goldiemae agreed!

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goldiemae said on April 7, 2010 at 5:32 PM

Right on! Good job...we need more innovators like this...

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