AbstractA new polymer–cement composite based on a recycled expanded polystyrene (EPS) resin has been developed as an effective method for EPS foam wastes management. The liquefied polymer is prepared by dissolving the foam waste in acetone, then in toluene at the ratio 113:2:1 per volume, respectively. The composite is made by incorporating the resulting resin into cement‐paste at selected water:cement ratios. At the end of defined curing periods, the physical, mechanical, and thermal characterizations of the obtained composite were evaluated under variable factors e.g., Acetone: toluene ratio, water:cement ratio (w/c), curing periods. Compressive strength, apparent porosity, bulk density, and specific gravity were determined for the composite under the various stated conditions. FT‐IR, XRD, thermal analysis, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were performed for the hard blocks to study the effect of the added recycled EPS resin on the microstructure of the end products. Based on the data so far obtained it can be concluded that the candidate dissolution process of EPS foam wastes is an easily environmental friendly technique that allows afterward using the resultant resin for producing an added value, low cost, promising market competitive, and multipurpose light weight cement composite. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers