TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Particles: The foamed cellular particle comprises (weight%) blowing agent (2-5), preferably (2.5-3.5) and their mixtures in combination with carbon dioxide, nitrogen and air. Preferably the foamed cellular particle comprises blowing agent (2.5-3.5) which is n-pentane and their mixtures. The foamed cellular particles comprises a polymer composition comprising:(i) at least one 8-12C vinyl aromatic monomer (70-100) which is optionally substituted by substituent(s) selected from 1-6C alkyl radicals and halogen atoms;(ii) at least one monomer (30-0) selected from 3-6C ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids, anhydrides, imides and 1-12C alkyl and alkoxyalkyl esters, and 3-6C ethylenically unsaturated nitriles; and(iii) the blowing agent. Preferably, the foamed cellular particles comprises styrene, butyl acrylate, and n-pentane.Alternatively, the cellular particles comprise (i) vinyl aromatic monomer, (ii) polymer which is polyphenylene oxide, butadiene rubber, and high impact polystyrene. The particles contain cell structure comprising an average cell size of 5-100 microns and a fixed number of cells. The foamed particles contain a coating composition which is selected from silicones, metals and glycerol carboxylates.Preparation: The expandable polymer particles are formed by suspension, bulk, or solution polymerization, preferably suspension polymerization involving one or two-step processes. Also the expandable polymer particles are formed by extrusion, or heating (which is contact heating, non-contact heating, infra-red heating, microwave heating, dielectric heating, and radio frequency heating) using a fluid bed dryer and pre-expander.Preferred Process: The expandable particles are produced by suspension polymerization. The method involves admixing at least one styrenic monomer (70-100) with at least one vinyl group monomer of polymer (30-0) based on the polymer composition, and mixing obtained component with the blowing agent prior to during or after suspension polymerization process. The expandable particles which are produced by extrusion, involves heating and admixing the polymer composition to obtain a polymer melt, injecting blowing agent, extruding the polymer melt as a strand and chopping into pellets, and heating the pellets to 70-110 degreesC under a pressure of 10.1-24.7 psi absolute (170 kPa) to form foamed cellular particles. Especially the pellets are impregnating with the blowing agent. The foamed cellular particles are produced using a polymer producer's plant, and a foam molder's plant. The foamed cellular particles are passed to conventional equipment for forming foam articles having bulk density of 0.80-6 pounds/cubic foot. The need of impregnating foamed cellular particles with an additional amount of blowing agent prior to expanding and molding is eliminated. The expandable particles are heated at 80-110 degreesC under pressure of 13.8-16 psi absolute for 0.05-60 minute to form foamed cellular particles having bulk density of 28.1-21.9 pounds/cubic foot and comprising blowing agent (2-5). The packages used for transporting the cellular particles are selected from paper bags, plastic film bags, fiber cartons, metal drums, fiber drums, bulk bags, and returnable packaging. The total weight of the foamed cellular particles transported by transportation unit is 30,000-450,000 pounds.Preferred Monomer: The vinyl aromatic monomer is styrene, alpha-methyl styrene, para-methyl styrene, chlorostyrene and bromo styrene. The monomer (ii) is methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, maleic anhydride, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid and itaconic acid.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Compound: The glycerol carboxylates are glycerol mono-stearate, glycerol di-stearate, glycerol tri-stearate, zinc stearate, calcium stearate and magnesium stearate. SPECIFIC COMPOUNDS - The blowing agent is acetone, methyl acetate, butane, hexane, n-pentane, cyclopentane, cyclohexane, isopentane, isobutane, neopentane, HFC's, CFC's, HCFC's, and water.    EXAMPLE - Commercially available expandable polystyrene particles produced by suspension polymerization followed by impregnation, were used as control and as starting material for production of experimental foamed cellular particles. The expandable particles contained hexabromocyclododecane as a fire retardant and a mixture of normal pentane, isopentane, and cyclopentane as the blowing agent along with other additives, such as lubricant coating, e.g. glycerol-monostearate. A control sample of expandable polystyrene particles contained a total pentane content of 4.24 weight%. The expandable particles had bulk density of 37.85 pounds/cubic foot and average particle size of 0.886 mm. The particles were placed on tray in a single layer and left for 19 days at room temperature. The total pentane content was decreased to 2.71 weight%. The experimental foamed cellular polystyrene particles were prepared from the same starting material as the control. The expandable particles (454 g) was placed in a fluid bed dryer with a glass body and was subjected to atmospheric pressure with an inlet air temperature of 85degreesC for 25 minutes. The resulting foamed cellular particles had bulk density of 26.37 pounds/cubic foot, total pentane content of 3.86 weight%, and average particle size was 1.155 mm. The particles were arranged in a single layer on a tray and left for 19 days at room temperature. The total pentane was decreased to 3.11 weight% based on the total weight of the polymer. The experimental foamed cellular particles had 47% blowing agent retention capacity compared to the control particles.