The invention relates to an enhanced process for the recycling of expanded
polystyrene. Said process essentially comprises the reduction in volume
of expanded polystyrene by means of dissolution in a solvent, separation
of the insoluble components, selective precipitation of the polystyrene
with an anti-solvent, separation, drying and extrusion of the
precipitated polystyrene, recovery by distillation and recycling of the
solvent. The process is characterized in that the anti-solvent is a
butanol selected form n-butanol, iso-butanol or sec-butanol and the
solvent is dimethyl carbonate, alone or in a mixture containing up to 25%
by weight of butanol.