Asked & Answered: EPS Foam and Fire Retardants

On October 22, 2015   /   Asked & Answered, BuildBlock News  
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Asked-&-Answered

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 with this fire retardant is not a fuel source. When exposed to high heat, EPS foam doesn’t burn, it melts. This is due to the fact that the EPS is expanded with steam and only contains air. The EPS foam used in packaging and shipping is not the same as

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Asked & Answered: What is the expected lifetime of the expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam?

On April 8, 2015   /   Asked & Answered  
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Asked-&-Answered

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 a plastic and aside from contact with hydrocarbons or exposure to UV from sunlight, it is relatively unaffected by other naturally degrading processes. Geofoam® placed in the ground for decades increased its compression resistance (strength). The lifespan of EPS is long, potentially unlimited. Most of the testing has involved placing

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Asked & Answered: Recycling Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Foam

On September 15, 2014   /   Asked & Answered, Video  
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Asked-&-Answered

Recycling Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) Foam Insulating 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 and manufactured into ICFs and other goods. One of the reasons EPS is such a great insulation is that it is 95% air. This makes EPS foam very light and easy to transport, but it takes lot of space in both distribution and in landfills. Recycling removes it from landfills

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EPS Foam Significantly More Energy Efficient Than XPS

On March 31, 2014   /   BuildBlock News, White Papers & Research  
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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 resin beads and subsequently mold them into blocks, which can later be cut to size. XPS, on the other hand, processes melted polystyrene resin through an extruder and expands it, using blowing agents. There are key differences between EPS and XPS—most importantly, moisture resistance, environmental impact, long-term R-value, compressive

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