What To Do With All That Christmas Packing Material?
Chances are, if you got that gigantic flat screen television this holiday season, there was polystyrene in the packaging. But now that the TV is on the wall, what are you going to do with all that stuff?
Instead of throwing away the white molded packaging material, the Pennsylvania Resources Council is encouraging you to recycle it at a designated drop-off spot.
In Pittsburgh, the drop-off location is at the Appliance Warehouse at 523 Bingham St in the South Side.
Recycled polystyrene can be made into clothes hangers, decorative moldings, insulation and even picture frames.
The PRC, in partnership with NOVA Chemicals, started collecting polystyrene last holiday season. In 2014, more than 2,400 cubic feet of polystyrene was collected at four different "Hard to Recycle" collection events.
In an effort to make recycling more convenient, the council introduced drop-off bins in November. The one at Appliance Warehouse has been available since Thanksgiving.
The drop-off location will accept loose pieces and blocks of polystyrene, but not packing peanuts. According to Shea, local UPS stores accept packing peanuts for reuse.
Shea said she hopes this encourages people to hold onto their polystyrene until they can visit the South Side location.