Abstract: Foam thermoplastic injection molding apparatus and method produces structurally superior foam injection molded products. The process includes plasticating solid polymer to a polymer melt; accumulating the melt in an accumulator having a telescoping inlet, which allows the first melt which enters to be the first to leave the accumulator; combining a preselected amount of melt with a preselected amount of gas in bubble form to form homogenized polymer foam; shearing the homogenized polymer foam to reduce the size of gas bubbles; and injecting the polymer foam through a special gate assembly into a mold. The gate assembly has a removable nose which remains with the mold, allowing the foam to expand within the mold but not allowing the foam to escape the mold. The process and apparatus allow low molded-in stress products to be produced, and can process recyclable thermoplastics, either single materials or mixtures. Thus, no segregation of materials is required.