Is EPS bad for the environment? An honest comparison with honeycomb and EPP

We get the question weekly: "Is EPS bad for the environment?". The short answer: it’s more nuanced than you think. In this article, we lay out the facts and figures — including the less favorable aspects of honeycomb.

EPS: often misunderstood

EPS (expanded polystyrene, often called tempex or styrofoam) has a bad reputation, mainly because of the volume it takes up in waste containers. But:

• EPS consists of >98% air. The actual material weight per cooler box is very low — typically 100-300 grams of polystyrene for a box that cools several kilos of product.
• EPS is fully recyclable. Polystyrene can be melted down and reused for new products. The problem in the Netherlands is logistics: there are still too few EPS collection points.
• EPS has a low CO₂ impact in production compared to some alternatives, partly due to the low material weight.

Honeycomb cardboard: not always more sustainable

Honeycomb seems at first glance the sustainable choice — after all, it goes in the paper container. But there are caveats:

• Production is energy-intensive. Making honeycomb cardboard requires significantly more water and energy than EPS.
• The insulation performance is lower. For the same temperature performance, you sometimes need a thicker box, which partly negates the material advantage.
• FSC is essential. Only FSC-certified honeycomb cardboard is actually sustainably produced.

EPP: often the best environmental choice

EPP (expanded polypropylene) comes out best in most analyses, due to its reusability:

• An EPP box reused 100 times has a fraction of the CO₂ impact per shipment
• EPP is fully recyclable at the end of its life
• The lifespan in practice is often more than 5 years

The downside: EPP costs 3-5 times more per piece than EPS. It is only interesting in return logistics or for parties who have control over the entire chain.

What does Cooled Solutions do?

We offer all three options and provide honest advice on which fits your situation:

• For one-time B2C shipments (online butcher, meal box): honeycomb or EPS — depending on your brand preference and transit time
• For closed chains or B2B: EPP for the highest sustainability
• For pharma with validation requirements: usually EPS or VIP panels — performance takes priority over sustainability here

Check out our sustainability page for our full vision, or call +31 (0) 255 234 200 for tailored advice.