Question by Colour Scientist: How can I recycle lots of the foam packaging beans that come with products?
I work in a place and we get lots of boxes of products that we sell and it they usually contain far too much of this packaging and I have found out that you cant recycle it like you can the cardboard boxes (I think we are already doing something about that) but we just through these foam beans out.
I want to know what I can do about it? I have heard that I may be able to give them to local packaging companies but I am not sure how I would go about doing that and I dont know that there are any companies like that near where I live (I am in Wetsern Australia).
Please help me.
Best answer:
Answer by jhenry822
Throw them in the ocean
Add your own answer in the comments!
http://freecycle.org/groups/australia/#Western%20Australia
The link above is to a list of Freecycle groups within Western Australia. Freecycle is the perfect way to get rid of stuff of all types! Freecycle is recycling taken to the next level….you simply give your excess usable stuff to your neighbor, no strings attached, no money allowed. By promoting a gifting community in your area, Freecycle is teaching local generosity while keeping tons of stuff out of our landfills.. Join FC and post something like: OFFER: 2 Bags of Packing Peanuts. Then someone would email or call you, and arrange to come by and take it off your hands.
To find a Freecycle group in another area, including the U.S., visit Freecycle.org
Good luck, and hope to see you on Freecycle 🙂
Most peanuts are made of starch. They can be dissolved by water. However, if that is not the case, they can be used as other fillers, like put in the bottom of a planter and use as filter for a plant.
Are there any shipping carriers nearby (UPS, FedEx, DHL, or similar company in Aussie Land) Do you have Office Supply stores that ship packages out? Do you have the small postal stores that you can rent mail boxes at and do they ship packages out? All companies I mentioned should be more than willing to accept your packing peanuts and put them to good use. Good Luck! I just thought of this, another option is a florist, as they sometimes put the packing peanuts in the soil of a planter.
I use them to refresh the “beans” in the kids bean bags. They work great! The beans flatten out after a while. I also use them in plant pots for drainage. Maybe a local nursery/garden center?
i know selling stuff on ebay requires individual’s to use these…im sure that if they were put aside someone who is using ebay would be more than happy to pick them up and take them off your hands…just a thought if it helps
any company that ships from their facility would be happy to receive these shipping peanuts.to talk to any representative,you should try to contact the shipping and receiving associates.a lot of companies list their shipping departments in the yellow pages.most companies would be happy to pay for the mailing.
Try offering them to a local school school or daycare. They are great for art projects with small children. Just a suggestion.
Hi there,,this is just to say ;with out ; going through to many details is ,,,why not use the foam beads to make small bean bags or cushions.just sew 2 quares to-gether leaving a hole to put the beans in. then sell them for a small fee for charity or use them for children to play on or as pet beds,,,that was what i do with mine[when i get any lol]
Hope this info helps ,,,Phyllis,,, Ps why not get your work mates to do the same ime sure the proceeds would do well no matter which souce it goes to,,,,TY,,,,BYEEEE
There is currently someone on freecycle Greenfield seeking packaging material. Re-using is a form or recycycling! 🙂
I am a teacher at a church preschool. You could donate some to local preschools. We come up with many wonderful ideas for crafts and such using the styrofoam beans.
I’ve heard they are edible, you could eat them. Or, like someone said you can make dog beds, you could make cushions for the dogs at your local dog shelter.
Glad to hear I’m not the only one that thinks they shouldn’t go to the trash bin. I give mine to a local potter who ships his craft world wide. Maybe there is someone like that in your area. What about local merchants who sell things that get shipped out of the area? Also, the United Parcel Service store accepts packing peanuts, not sure there are any in your area.
Good luck!
Further to polystyrene beans providing drainage for plant pots and making pots lighter to move around the garden, they also prvide good insulation in the cold winters.
Last year I took 8 large trash bags full of shipping peanuts to the UPS Store across from Virginia Center Commons.
Hope this helps.
Post them on E-Bay. People that sell and ship on ebay would probably be interested.
Also, maybe a daycare center could use them for arts and crafts.
Anyplace that ships anything should be happy to take them.
Packaging Beans make great cushion fillings for Pet Beds.
Kids love huge cushions stuffed with these too, they’re great for the garden especially when the covers are made from heavyweight Polyester… just hang when wet and water just runs off them!
You can also use the beans as the drainage layer in large garden tubs instead of stones or crocks …, much lighter if you want to move them!
You can use them as drainage material in the bottom of pots when you’re planting – that probably won’t account for many though…
Call your local United Parcel Service type stores. They should be able to tell you where you can recycle those foam pellets (my kids used to call them “Ghost Poo”). You also might try gift stores that will mail gifts. We used to have such a store and was always happy to accept the pellets to pack around the gifts to mail.
contact your Federal express courier
These make wonderful insulation for use between the walls, and in the attic. Bag them up and sell (or give) them away to homeowners and they will save on heating and air conditioning…and they will bless your little heart for saving them . Being loose and “Pourable” the homeowner can get them into spaces where putting batt style insulation would be a problem..good luck on your new industry!
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mix with aggregate in hydroponics agriculture
I take mine to my local UPS or FedEx shipper! They are always happy to see me coming – It saves them money! I feel better putting them to use again vs. throwing them in the garbage.