Japan Expanded Polystyrene Association (JEPSA) Releases Overview of the Expanded Polystyrene Industry in 2025 - Used EPS Effective Utilization Rate at 92.1% - Domestic Shipment Volume Including Imports at 101,615 Tons

The Japan Expanded Polystyrene Association (hereinafter referred to as JEPSA, located in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, President: Shinichiro Kamedaka) is working towards the realization of a sustainable society by leveraging the characteristics of expanded polystyrene (insulation, cushioning, lightweight, resource efficiency, durability, recyclability, and processability) to promote the healthy development of the industry and contribute to society.

JEPSA held a press conference on July 16, 2026 (Thursday) to announce the "Overview of the Expanded Polystyrene Industry in 2025." The summary of the announcement is as follows.

Summary of "Overview of the Expanded Polystyrene Industry in 2025"

Expanded Polystyrene Raw Material Shipment Volume

The shipment volume of expanded polystyrene raw materials was 101,615 tons (domestic raw materials: 90,597 tons, imported raw materials: 11,018 tons), down 4.2% from the previous year (▲4,481 tons). Domestic raw materials decreased by 5.4% (▲5,160 tons), while imported raw materials increased by 6.6% (+679 tons).

<Domestic EPS Demand Trends by Sector>

Fishery Sector: While some fish species such as mackerel had a good catch, the overall decrease in catch volume resulted in a shipment volume of 36,352 tons (down 7.1% from the previous year), which was almost below the previous year's level.

Agricultural Sector: Despite the impact of high temperatures and unfavorable weather in the summer, which led to poor harvests and delays in shipments of vegetables and fruits, the shipment volume was 9,020 tons (down 0.7% from the previous year), almost the same as the previous year due to the good performance of broccoli.

Effective Utilization Rate of Used Expanded Polystyrene (EPS)

In 2025, the effective utilization rate of used expanded polystyrene was 92.1%, slightly lower than the previous year but still maintaining a high level. Since 2016, a high effective utilization rate and material recycling rate of over 90% have been continuously maintained.

The breakdown is as follows: material recycling rate, 49.2% (including chemical recycling rate of 0.7%), energy recovery rate, 42.9%, and simple incineration or landfill of unused materials, 7.9%. Among plastics, an extremely high effective utilization rate and material recycling rate are being maintained.

President's Greeting of the Japan Expanded Polystyrene Association (Excerpt) Shinichiro Kamedaka

2025 was the hottest summer on record, with record-high sea surface temperatures leading to a decrease in fishery catch volumes and a shift to other materials for some cushioning materials, making it a very challenging year for the expanded polystyrene industry. In Japan, the "Law for Promotion of Resource Circulation of Plastics" came into effect in April 2022. Additionally, the international treaty on plastics known as INC is being developed, and the regulatory environment for plastics is becoming increasingly stringent, requiring further efforts to promote resource circulation. Amidst these circumstances, the Japan Expanded Polystyrene Association (JEPSA), as a member of a sustainable society, is actively contributing to the SDGs and promoting the effective use of expanded polystyrene as a resource. The activity slogan for 2026 is "Protecting the Earth's Environment with the Excellent Characteristics of Expanded Polystyrene," aiming to deepen the understanding of the characteristics of expanded polystyrene and maintain a high recycling rate, striving for "Improvement of Effective Utilization Rate as a Resource" (100%).

Overview of the Expanded Polystyrene Industry in 2025

1. 2025 Activity Report

Overview of the expanded polystyrene industry, response to marine plastic pollution, initiatives and information sharing with overseas partners, and activity reports from various committees

2. 2026 Activity Plan

Basic policy, Technology and Environment Committee, EPS Construction Materials Promotion Committee, Public Relations Committee

Overview of the Expanded Polystyrene Industry ("Sector Trends" ①)

In 2025, the shipment volume of expanded polystyrene raw materials was 101,615 tons (domestic raw materials: 90,597 tons, imported raw materials: 11,018 tons), down 4.2% from the previous year (▲4,481 tons). Domestic raw materials decreased by 5.4% (▲5,160 tons), while imported raw materials increased by 6.6% (+679 tons).

<Domestic EPS Demand Trends by Sector>

Fishery Sector

While some fish species such as mackerel had a good catch, the overall decrease in catch volume resulted in a shipment volume of 36,352 tons (down 7.1% from the previous year), which was almost below the previous year's level.

YoY Comparison: Q1; 93.6%, Q2; 92.0%, Q3; 95.8%, Q4; 90.4%

Agricultural Sector

Despite the impact of high temperatures and unfavorable weather in the summer, which led to poor harvests and delays in shipments of vegetables and fruits, the shipment volume was 9,020 tons (down 0.7% from the previous year), almost the same as the previous year due to the good performance of broccoli.

YoY Comparison: Q1; 86.4%, Q2; 102.6%, Q3; 105.0%, Q4; 100.8%

Overview of the Expanded Polystyrene Industry ("Sector Trends" ②)

Weak Current Sector

The shipment volume decreased to 12,917 tons (down 5.2% from the previous year) due to the shift to other materials.

YoY Comparison: Q1; 93.5%, Q2; 88.7%, Q3; 95.7%, Q4; 102.4%

Construction and Civil Engineering Sector

The construction-related sector saw an increase in high-insulation specification housing, resulting in a volume of 14,816 tons (up 0.5% from the previous year).

The civil engineering-related sector saw a decrease in construction projects, resulting in a volume of 2,160 tons (down 16% from the previous year).

The overall sector shipment volume was 16,966 tons (down 2.1% from the previous year).

YoY Comparison: Q1; 102.1%, Q2; 105.6%, Q3; 84.7%, Q4; 99.2%

Other Sectors

The other sectors saw a significant decrease in shipment volume to 15,342 tons (down 7.5% from the previous year) due to the lack of recovery in the main application of life goods such as bead cushions and the sluggish shipment of automotive-related products.

YoY Comparison: Q1; 91.8%, Q2; 94.3%, Q3; 89.9%, Q4; 94.5%

Overall, all sectors saw a decrease from the previous year.

About Expanded Polystyrene

The characteristics of expanded polystyrene include insulation, cushioning, lightweight, resource efficiency, durability, recyclability, and processability.

98% is made of air, a resource-efficient material

There are three types of expanded polystyrene, depending on the manufacturing method. Among them, the bead method polystyrene foam (EPS), which is manufactured by expanding the raw material polystyrene beads to about 50 times, is a resource-efficient material with 98% of the product being air. Therefore, it is lightweight and excellent in cushioning and insulation properties, and is used in various aspects of life. High insulation performance is used for containers for transporting fish and vegetables that require temperature control and for housing insulation materials, while cushioning performance is used as cushioning materials to protect home appliances and precision instruments from impact.

Examples of long-term use products that contribute to global warming mitigation

The high insulation properties of EPS are also contributing to the demand for energy-efficient housing as insulation materials that improve the heating and cooling efficiency of houses.

About the Japan Expanded Polystyrene Association

The Japan Expanded Polystyrene Association (JEPSA) was established in 1991 by raw material manufacturers and molding processors.