Quebec recycler gets grant to process more EPS

Victoriaville, Que.-based waste management firm Gaudreau Environnement has received a $49,250 grant from the Foam Recycling Coalition (FRC) to fund a foam densifier that will allow it to capture more expanded polystyrene packaging for recycling.

When the project starts in April 2018, Gaudreau estimates its new waste diversion strategy will increase curbside collection and processing of post-consumer foam polystyrene packaging material to approximately 25 tons per year, which includes foodservice packaging and bulky packaging.

“We are focused on processing additional materials, including foam polystyrene packaging,” said Nicholas Gaudreau, director of Gaudreau, in a statement. “With a new densifier, it will assist with the viability of processing these new materials and efficiently shipping them to end markets in our region.”

The company has already identified other recyclers in Quebec and Ontario to process this new material.

“Waste companies like Gaudreau provide the processing we need to help increase foam recycling across North America,” said Lynn Dyer, president of the Foodservice Packaging Institute, which houses the FRC. “This grant money is central to Gaudreau’s strategy to increase its diversion rate, and these efforts mean valuable materials can be recycled in the communities served instead of going to the landfill.”

The FRC launched the grant program in 2015 to help fund infrastructure to collect and process polystyrene packaging for recycling. Gaudreau is the ninth grant recipient to receive FRC funding.