Hartford Styrofoam Recycling was informally founded in 2024, with the goal of diverting expanded polystyrene (EPS) (aka Styrofoam) from landfills and the environment; and recycling it. EPS/Styrofoam is toxic: its harmful chemicals can leach into foods, soil, water, and our bodies. Children are especially vulnerable. We know landfills are filling up, and that’s not only bad for the environment but also bad for our budgets. Jen Durgin spearheaded the initiative, after joining the Foam Recycling Action Group–a network of individuals in New Hampshire and Vermont whose communities host collections of EPS/Styrofoam. The foam is transported to the Gilford, NH, Recycling Center. Gilford staff densify the foam with a special machine and then sell the densified foam to Soprema, a Canadian company that converts the material to insulation foam boards for buildings. To plan Hartford’s first collection, Jen convened several stakeholders, including Dana Clawson, the environmental sustainability coordinator for Hartford, VT; Amanda Roberts, branch manager of Mascoma Bank and president of the White River Rotary Club; two other members of the Rotary Club; a volunteer from Sustainable Lebanon (NH), which had hosted several collections; and an outreach coordinator from a nearby solid waste management district.