Interested in signing up for the Mobile EPS densification and collection service?
Here is a step by step guide of what to expect.
Step 1: Buy or rent a sea can (20 or 40 foot)
Participating municipalities have purchased units for between $2,100 for a 20 ft. and $2,700 for 40 ft. Delivery of sea cans runs between $300 to $600 and is location dependent.
Step 2: Sign a contract with Second Wind Recycling (SWR)
They will provide you with storage boxes and signage for inside the sea can.
Step 3: Schedule densification and collection as needed
SWR will arrive on site when scheduled to densify and collect EPS. The generators are quiet and they will be on and off site within a short window of time.
“We are very excited about how the program is going in its early stages. The amount of materials that have been diverted has been a pleasant surprise to staff, and we are looking forward to this program and its continuing expansion throughout 2020.”
– Nathan Bokma
Manager of Development and Compliance, City of St. Thomas
Step 4: SWR will process and market the material
We’re weighing a large sample during the pilot to determine the average weight per box. SWR is responsible for the marketing of the material. They will remove the densified bricks after each service visit.
The site operator is responsible for disposing of the residue. Early pilot results show there is very little contamination in the boxes.
Step 5: Getting the word out to residents
Participating groups are responsible for promoting the program. Oxford County is welcoming more than 100 visitors a month at their transfer station site since they launched the EPS collection program in December 2019. Their site is open 6 days per week. Ads such as these have been broadcast through their social media platforms.
“We are really pleased with the program so far. It’s easy to collect the material at our transfer station, storage is not an issue and service frequency by Dane of Second Wind Recycling is great. It’s been an effortless program to administer and our residents are very happy to finally have some place to take their bulky Styrofoam”.
– Pamela Antonio
Supervisor of Waste Management, Oxford county
What happens to Styrofoam after it’s recycled? It becomes useful products, like picture frames and decorative mouldings. You can recycle unwanted bulky Styrofoam at the Waste Management Facility, Woodstock EnviroDepot or Tillsonburg Transfer Station https://t.co/1eVbvIaA9t. pic.twitter.com/Zzsy8thxKF
— Wasteline (@WastelineOxford) January 22, 2020
DYK? It takes at least 500 years for Styrofoam to break down. That means the Styrofoam you discard today will be around until the year 2519. Give your bulky Styrofoam a second chance at life. Recycle it, and keep it out of the landfill. https://t.co/1eVbvHSZhV pic.twitter.com/c52md5AwZV
— Wasteline (@WastelineOxford) January 6, 2020
What we’re learning
Two cubic yards of loose EPS is can be successfully reduced to a fraction of the size once densified. The machine reduces volume by up to a 1:50 ratio. The picture below (centre) shows how much less space the material takes up once densified. A total of 52 of boxes of loose (un-densified) EPS would fill two 53-foot transport trucks. Early densification activities for this pilot suggest those 52 boxes be reduced to a 4 x 4 pallet of densified material stacked 8 feet tall (right photo below).
Interested in participating in this CIF pilot initiative?
CIF has secured special rates for our municipal and First Nation stakeholders, within the south-west region of Ontario, through its project partner Second Wind Recycling. Contact Jessica Landry today to learn more. Current participants include Oxford County, St. Thomas, Tillsonburg and Woodstock.