Styrofoam Recycling Returns to Tacoma Recycle Center

~ Tacoma, WA- The Tacoma Recycle Center (3510 S. Mullen St.) has once again opened its doors to residents for Styrofoam recycling. This comes after the City's Solid Waste utility installed a new Styrofoam densifier, allowing residents to drop off accepted Styrofoam packaging materials for free recycling.

Mayor Anders Ibsen expressed his enthusiasm for this development, stating, "We owe it to our future generations to lead by example and make our city cleaner." He believes that re-opening the Styrofoam densifier is a practical step towards reducing waste and strengthening recycling efforts in the city.

The previous densifier had been out of service since 2022 due to recurring mechanical issues. After careful evaluation of repair options, it was determined that replacing the machine entirely would be the most reliable and cost-effective long-term solution.

At-Large Council Member Kristina Walker shared her excitement for the return of Styrofoam recycling, saying, "I have been eagerly awaiting the return of our ability to recycle Styrofoam, and I am thrilled that our densifier machine is back in operation." She also commended the community for their dedication to reducing waste and thanked the City's Solid Waste staff for their hard work in restoring this important service.

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District 1 Council Member John Hines also expressed his satisfaction with this development, stating, "Styrofoam blocks are used to package so many products today and bringing back our ability to recycle Styrofoam is a huge win for Tacoma." He believes that this will be well-received by residents who are avid recyclers and will help keep the city clean and healthy.

District 2 Council Member Sarah Rumbaugh echoed similar sentiments, saying, "I'm really glad to see this service return." She believes that people want to do the right thing with their waste but often struggle with finding a clear path for Styrofoam disposal. With the densifier up and running again, it will be much easier to put this material to good use.

Residents can drop off clean block Styrofoam, including rigid foam packaging blocks, Styrofoam coolers, and packaging sheets at the Tacoma Recycle Center. However, packing peanuts, Styrofoam food containers, and dirty or contaminated foam will not be accepted.

The collected material is then processed on-site through the densifier, which compresses the foam into solid blocks. These blocks are then transported to a recycling facility in Kent, Wash., where they are prepared for manufacturing into new products.

For more information on this and other items accepted for recycling in Tacoma, residents can visit tacoma.gov/recycle. This development is a significant step towards creating a cleaner and more sustainable city for future generations.

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