What it is
Polystyrene beads with a blowing agent. Steamed and moulded into thermocol boxes, packaging and insulation blocks.
Packaging gradeFire-retardant (insulation) grade
Where India produces it
- MaharashtraRaigad
Supreme Petrochem.
Where imports come from
Production 118.8 thousand tonnes against consumption of 116.3 thousand tonnes in 2024-25 (DCPC) — mostly met at home.
- China
- Austria
- Japan
- United Arab Emirates
- Thailand
Rules before you buy or sell
- No Quality Control Order for EPS appears on the BIS compulsory-certification list (checked 18 Oct 2026).
- Flammable solvents are petroleum under the Petroleum Act; storing more than the exempt quantity needs a PESO licence under the Petroleum Rules, 2002.
Storage and handling
Beads contain pentane, a flammable gas. Store sealed, cool and ventilated, and use them before the shelf life ends.
Businesses that use it
Sources (3)
- Chemical and Petrochemical Statistics at a Glance 2025, Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals (Tables 3, 5, 8, 10, 16, 17, 20, 28)
- Directory of Chemical & Petrochemical Units 2022-23 (large and medium units), Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals · 2023
- BIS — Products under compulsory certification, Scheme-I (QCO list with amendment and rescind orders; page updated 24 Sep 2026) · 2026