Asked & Answered: EPS Foam and Fire Retardants
There are some misconceptions about EPS foam in the building industry. In this Asked & Answered we discuss how fire retardants used in EPS foam as used in building products. EPS foam, when used in building products, contains a fire retardant added to the bead before it is expanded and molded. Additionally EPS foam…
Asked & Answered: What is the expected lifetime of the expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam?
Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) is essentially inert. There have been multiple studies of EPS in the soil for 15 to 30 years demonstrating only minor degradation of the EPS foam. EPS foam is expanded using steam. It is the entrained air that provide the insulation value in the material. EPS is…
Asked & Answered: Recycling Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Foam
Recycling Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) FoamInsulating Concrete Forms (ICFs) are made up to two different types of materials EPS foam and polypropylene plastic webs. One of the questions we frequently get is whether Styrofoam™ or EPS foam can be recycled. All ICFs use some recycled material. Recycled material is mixed with new virgin material…
EPS Foam Significantly More Energy Efficient Than XPS
There are many reasons BuildBlock ICFs are the premiere ICFs on the market, our use of EPS foam is one of those reasons. As reported by Concrete Construction, "what makes EPS and XPS different is their manufacturing processes. EPS uses steam and the blowing agent pentane to expand polystyrene…