Polystyrene Gets a Second Life!

UpSolv’s FDA-approved process transforms post-consumer polystyrene into safe, fully recycled food packaging.

5 May 2025

A plastic long seen as unrecyclable just got a surprising second life. In April, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the use of 100% recycled polystyrene for direct contact with food, marking a major step toward sustainable packaging.

The green light goes to UpSolv, a company whose advanced purification process transforms post-consumer polystyrene into a food-safe polymer. Think yogurt cups, deli containers, and meat trays, all made from material once destined for landfills.

Polystyrene, better known by its brand name Styrofoam, has long been on environmentalists’ hit list due to its difficulty in recycling and widespread use in disposable food containers. UpSolv’s technology changes that, stripping the material of contaminants and producing a resin that meets FDA standards without requiring food manufacturers to overhaul their equipment.

The approval comes as pressure mounts on companies to reduce plastic waste. States like California and New York have passed strict packaging laws, and many major brands are scrambling to meet new targets. Recycled polystyrene offers a drop-in alternative to virgin plastic, making sustainability less of a logistical headache.

While other firms like PureCycle and Eastman are working on similar breakthroughs for different plastics, UpSolv now leads the charge in polystyrene recycling. Industry analysts expect the FDA decision to kick off a wave of investment in recycling systems and spur the adoption of high-recycled-content packaging across sectors.

Challenges remain, from production scale to public skepticism. But with regulatory momentum and corporate interest aligning, fully recycled polystyrene may soon be more than a novelty. UpSolv’s FDA nod is a sign of what’s possible when science, policy, and business pull in the same direction.