Soprema

Recycling Styrofoam into moisture-resistant insulation boards in XPS

The polystyrene used to package electronic devices, food products, and furniture? Waterproofing, roofing, and insulation materials manufacturer Soprema buys and recycles it into durable, moisture-resistant XPS insulation boards. XPS (extruded polystyrene) is a material that can be endlessly recycled.

Sustainable Collection Process
Polystyrene foam—commonly known as styrofoam—is the everyday term for EPS (expanded polystyrene), the lightweight, often white material used for insulation. It comes in various forms, such as sheets, blocks, and beads. The recycling process begins locally at companies, where compacting machines press the polystyrene to reduce its volume. Soprema then collects the compressed material. To put the environmental impact into perspective: one truckload of compressed EPS carries the same amount as 48 trucks transporting uncompressed EPS, significantly reducing CO₂ emissions.

Low-Carbon, Zero-Waste Production
From collection sites, the compressed EPS is transported directly to Soprema’s recycling and production facility at the Greenplant in Tongeren. This eco-friendly site is equipped with solar panels, a green roof, permeable pavement, buffer basins, and infiltration ponds. Here, the polystyrene is processed into raw material for XPS and transformed into high-performance XPS insulation boards. What about production waste? Soprema immediately reuses it in the next production cycle.

Circular Building Material
XPS insulation boards are not just durable; they are also fully circular. They provide excellent insulation, resist moisture, withstand pressure, prevent mold and decay, and have a long lifespan—making them ideal for circular construction. When they eventually need to be replaced, they can be reused and fully recycled into new XPS boards, contributing to a sustainable, waste-free construction cycle.