Styrofoam is nearly impossible to recycle curbside but easy to dispose of correctly with a few steps. Here's what Palm Beach County residents need to know.
Why Styrofoam Is Hard to Handle
Expanded polystyrene foam — commonly called Styrofoam — is 95% air and 5% plastic. It's lightweight, bulky, and difficult to compact economically. Palm Beach County SWA does NOT accept styrofoam in residential single-stream recycling. Putting it in the blue cart contaminates the recycling stream and gets sorted out at the MRF and sent to landfill.
What to Do With Small Amounts
Small quantities — packaging peanuts, meat trays, takeout containers — go in regular household trash. Not ideal, but it's the honest answer for small volumes. Palm Beach County doesn't have a widely-available curbside styrofoam recycling program.
Packing peanuts specifically can be reused — many UPS Stores accept clean peanuts for reuse. Call your local store first.
Bulk Styrofoam After a Move or Big Delivery
After a move, a new refrigerator, or a large furniture delivery, you might end up with a garage full of foam blocks. This is where SWA's Household Convenience Center on 45th Street in West Palm Beach can help — some SWA sites accept styrofoam for specialty recycling. Check swa.org for the current program.
For a full move-in or renovation cleanout, Junk Force handles styrofoam as part of the broader junk removal Palm Beach County job. We separate reusable and recyclable material where possible and route bulk foam to specialty handlers rather than defaulting to landfill.
Styrofoam From Contractor & Construction Sites
Foam insulation board from construction sites (XPS or EPS insulation) is a much bigger volume problem than household packaging. Renovation projects in Wellington, Palm Beach Gardens, and Boca Raton regularly generate cubic yards of foam board debris. This gets handled as part of our construction debris removal service.
What About Composting or Backyard Solutions
Styrofoam does not compost, does not biodegrade in any meaningful timeframe, and should not be burned (produces toxic fumes). If you can't recycle it, the honest disposal path is regular trash for small volumes or contracted haul-off for large volumes.
How Junk Force Handles Foam on Job Sites
During cleanouts, moves, and renovation cleanups we routinely find large volumes of styrofoam. We consolidate, transport, and route to appropriate facilities when specialty recycling is available. When it isn't, foam goes with C&D debris to licensed disposal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put styrofoam in Palm Beach County recycling? No — not accepted in single-stream residential recycling.
Where do I take large amounts of styrofoam? SWA facilities may accept — check swa.org — or call Junk Force for pickup.
Can UPS take my packing peanuts? Many locations accept clean peanuts for reuse. Call your local store.
Does Junk Force handle bulk styrofoam? Yes — as part of any junk removal or garage cleanout job.