Constructed from recycled milk jugs and plastic containers, recycled plastic lumber is formed into many of the profiles you would expect from traditional lumber. This feature allows it to be sawed, cut and screwed much the same as wood lumber. It is now being used for decking, railings, picnic tables, benches, patio furniture and even childrens playground equipment. Consumers can rest assured that the use of recycled poly lumber helps to keep billions of pounds of recyclable plastics from entering our every growing landfills. Due to increased environmental awareness post consumer plastic bottle recycling has dramatically increased over the past ten years from 234 million pounds to over a staggering 1.5 billion pounds.

Traditional hardwood lumber is often treated with hazardous chemicals to ward off possible insect attacks. It also will over time need sanding and some type of refinishing and will also start to rot if left out in the elements for prolonged periods of time. On the contrary, plastic lumber contains no hazardous chemicals and can not leak or contaminate the soil nor does it require any maintenance beyond cleaning as needed which usually just requires hosing off.

Recycled plastic lumber is built to withstand all of the elements from frosty winters, to tropical sun and salty, windy coastal weather. This plastic lumber is weighty and not to be confused with a thin plastic product that his formed and molded into chairs that you find at many home supply stores. Poly lumber is actually formed into 2×4’s, 2×6’s and the like to then be cut, screwed and assembled into furniture that will adorn your patio, deck, poolside or garden. New applications for this product are being thought up every day. The most recent suggestion was for an artificial reef which would have a life span of 60 years submerged in the ocean.

Recycled plastic lumber is an economically viable alternative to traditional hardwood lumber. It is built to last a lifetime so there will be no replacing your splintering, bug infested or rotting patio furniture in a matter of years. Recycled plastic lumber is a friend to numerous environmental issues such as deforestation. By using recycled products for furniture you are helping to reduce the use of our forests and precious air filtering trees for our day to day needs! We all know that our forests and trees play a major role in helping prevent global warming.

Therefore, recycled plastic lumber is quickly becoming a resource that is sought out in all types of applications with both environmental advantages as well as economical advantages. Recycled plastic lumber is definitely a product worth looking into with virtually no maintenance the advantages of this environmentally friendly product is undeniable.

Why Use Recycled Plastic Lumber? is a post from: Recycling Guide. Environmental issues have become part of everyday life read more from Pollution to Sustainable Development.

Products such as plastic wall cladding have many advantages, such as hygiene, great looks, ease of installation, freedom from maintenance and tailor-made properties. Plastic wall claddings, soffits and fascias are also very popular and the construction industry is a major consumer of plastic.

However, plastic has a reputation as a non-recyclable and environment unfriendly material. It is in this context that the campaign to recycle plastic and produce construction products from recycled plastic assumes great significance.

Recycled Plastic Wall Cladding

Wall claddings, soffits and fascias can be made from recycled plastic. Other construction products being made from recycled plastic include damp proof membranes, water drainage, pipes and ducting, kerbstones, roofing materials, piling and ground stabilization, scaffolding planks, decking and flooring products and fencing.

Sources for Recycled Plastic Raw Materials

Post-consumer and post-industrial plastic waste is the main source of recycled plastic. Sometimes, this recycled plastic is blended with recycled wood to make a wood-polymer composite.

Plastic bottles, bags and wrapping film provide recyclable polyethylene. CD cases, vending cups and food packaging yield polystyrene for recycling. Recyclable PVC is obtained from windows and industrial products.

Why Use Recycled Plastic Products?

Definite business benefits can be obtained from using recycled plastic products.

COST: Recycled plastic products are durable and long-lived, do not need much maintenance and do not suffer from such problems as rot. Hence, the lifetime costs of recycled plastic products will be lower and they will be excellent value for money.

STRENGTH AND VERSATILITY: Plastic has high strength-to-weight ratio. Light products mean easier handling, often eliminating mechanical handling aids and still complying with Health &amp, Safety regulations. Plastic is versatile with a wide range of construction products being made with recycled plastic. You could get much of your requirements in the form of recycled plastic construction products.

The products also typically meet standards specifications.

PREFERENCE IN TENDERS: Public sector contracts are easier to win if you can show that you are using environmentally sustainable products. Even private sector organizations are beginning to give preference to contractors with a reputation for using recycled products.

CONTRIBUTION TO ENVIRONMENT: By using recycled plastic products, you are telling the world that you care for the environment. This can go a long way in generating goodwill that can benefit your business.

Recycled plastic products require little maintenance and upkeep, are inert and do not pollute water bodies or soil, and can be fully recycled at the end of their lives.

By using recycled plastic products, you are creating a demand for more recycled plastic raw materials, removing them from polluting places.

Conclusion

Recycling used plastic consumer and industrial products is a reality now. Many plastic product manufacturers use recycled plastic as raw material, sourcing their requirements from plastic waste such as bottles, CD cases and discarded industrial plastic products.

Many recycled plastic products are used by the construction industry. These include wall claddings, soffits and fascias as well as fencing, drainage, kerbstones and roofing products.

You can get concrete business benefits by creating a reputation for using recycled products. These include preferences in tenders and business goodwill.

Recycled Plastic Wall Cladding is a post from: Recycling Guide. Environmental issues have become part of everyday life read more from Pollution to Sustainable Development.

Recycled Plastic Furniture is the best alternate to traditional wood furniture. Recycled plastic furniture is eco-friendly and affordable. Recycled plastic furniture is made of plastic waste such milk bottles, water bottles, jugs, plastic containers. Recycles plastic furniture protects the forests and prevents deforestation. Recycled Plastic furniture is definitely an alternative to timber as colors of timber can be added to recycled plastic furniture. It is also resistant to insect and fungal attack. One bench made up of recycled plastic consumes approximately two thousand plastic bottles. Taking into account the expenditure on maintenance, recycled plastic furniture is better. Rubbish plastic products are converted in to useful recycled plastic furniture. There is increasing demand and voice for protecting trees and growing more trees and to save trees. Recycled plastic furniture is the best alternative, and meets the demand by providing an alternative to wood. Recycled plastic furniture has the appearance of wood and will not crack or rot.

Recycled plastic furniture is perfect for decking balcony and chairs, tables, park benches, picnic benches all are made from recycled plastic. Street furniture is also available made from non bio-degradable plastic. Recycled plastic furniture can be used as landscape timbers or garden hoses, flower beds. Beautifully designed outdoor furniture such as lawn furniture and garden furniture made up of recycled plastic are available. This is very useful in dew areas and slight down pour areas as recycled plastic furniture is easily washable. Poly-wood furniture made up of recycled plastic is resistant to environmental stresses and is really great. Recycle plastic furniture saves power and energy. It reduces the waste and sending to landfill. Recycled plastic is also used to make designer office furniture and has great demand also. As recycled plastic office furniture is durable and requires low maintenance cost this furniture does not require frequent replacement. Recycled plastic furniture serve multi purpose as it reduces plastic waste and turns them into beautiful designer indoor, outdoor and office furniture. Public places like parks, beach, and auditorium can have recycled plastic furniture as it will not worn out or fade due to high frequency of utility.

Recycled plastic furniture utility is spreading widely due to the availability of multiple colors. Recycled plastic furniture is definitely a worth investment. Recycled plastic furniture such as chairs, tables, benches do not require frequent treatment and can be left out indefinitely as it will not get affected by rain, sun light and chlorinated or sea water and the color also will not get fade for a long time. Recycled plastic plywood furniture is more than ordinary plastic furniture. Recycled plastic plywood furniture has conventional lumber look with grains. The special characteristic of this is it is durable like plastic and very strong like wood.

This is not your ordinary plastic furniture. Because of the heavy duty construction and the durability, plywood furniture falls in the category of quality outdoor furniture. Be prepared to pay a little more than you might for even traditional wood furniture. Keep in mind that the plywood will not be plagued by the elements the way wood will be. It is likely that your plywood furniture could be around for many more years than any traditional wood products. As recycled plastic furniture helps the planet by utilizing waste plastic and has become a green product.

Advantages of Recycled Plastic Furniture is a post from: Recycling Guide. Environmental issues have become part of everyday life read more from Pollution to Sustainable Development.

It may seem like an unnecessary step, but one of the most crucial aspects of the plastic recycling process is you. Yes, the people who take the time and put forth the effort to recycle are vital to the process. Without residents dropping off their recyclables or having them picked up by a recycling collection company, the recycling plants wouldn’t have any material to work with. As a consumer, its your job to make sure your plastic recyclable materials are as clean as possible. Many people are surprised by how much gunk in the recycling machines messes up the plastic recycling process.

Once the plastic reach the recycling center, both people and machines start the sorting and cleaning process every type of recyclable plastic has to go through. Machines called bales breakers are typically used for this purpose. Conveyor belts help to move the plastic through the recycling process. Its not uncommon for metal detectors to play a role in preparing the various plastics for recycling. Its important to note that plastics have to be sorted carefully. As anyone in the know can tell you, plastics of dissimilar composition don’t mix well and a mistake can disturb the entire recycling batch.

One thing that has to be understood about the plastic recycling process is that it varies greatly depending on the type of plastics being processed and the final shape and use the plastic is intended for after recycling. As you can imagine, the process to make a grocery bag is wildly different from the one to produce carpet fibers or clothing. There is nothing like seeing the process up close and personal. Consider contacting your local recycling center that works with plastic and requesting a tour to answer all of your questions. Most centers are more than happy to accommodate your request.

The Basics of the Plastic Recycling Process is a post from: Recycling Guide. Environmental issues have become part of everyday life read more from Pollution to Sustainable Development.

To be clear one of the plastic recycling codes indicates plastic products that cant be recycled at all. These products simply contain too many different types of plastics to be broken down in the recycling centers. As a rule of thumb, if a product has a number 7 on the bottom or somewhere on the thing, either be prepared to keep it for life, be willing to throw it in the garbage, or don’t buy it at all. You may also see this number represented by other on the packaging or product itself.

Numbers 3, 4, 5, and 6 may or may not be able to be recycled. The fastest and most effective way to determine this is to contact your local recycling plant and ask. The people there have, obviously, been trained in all things recycling and can point you in the right direction. The most common products made from the above mentioned numbered plastics are clear food packaging, plumbing pipe, and bags for frozen foods and breads. You can also expect to find these plastics in disposable tableware, Styrofoam products, and egg cartons. Among the recycling community, it is typically considered best to avoid purchasing these materials whenever possible.

Of course, there are plastics out there that are both easy and beneficial to recycle. Those items with the plastic recycling codes of 1 and 2 are outstanding choices for recycling. You see and use these products likely every day. Numbers one and two are found in items like water and soft drink bottles. Milk and large water bottles are usually made from number 2 or HDPE plastics, which are highly recyclable. Once these products have been recycled by their plastic recycling codes, the newly renewed plastics can be found in all kinds of products like decking, new plastic toys, and even insulation. Recycling has also been shown to use less energy than making virgin plastics and is a benefit on both levels.

Deciphering the Plastic Recycling Codes is a post from: Recycling Guide. Environmental issues have become part of everyday life read more from Pollution to Sustainable Development.

First up, plastic recycling machinery on vehicles is ideal for those locations that don’t have their own recycling center yet. In some cases, communities arent well populated enough to have convenient recycling centers. By mounting some of the necessary machinery onto the cars and trucks, the fleet can then help to break down the plastics while they are on their way to the full service recycling center. This option is crucial for rural areas and the people who want to recycle despite being on the outskirts of more populated areas.

Another reason you might find plastic recycling machinery of vehicles is for education. Children and adults alike learn much easier when the material is right in front of them. Some recycling companies looking to broaden their client base and get kids involved in improving the environment and their community had the bright idea to show the general public what it looks like to recycle. These traveling plastic recycling centers are equipped with mini machinery and staffed with knowledgeable people who can answer even the most complex questions about recycling and saving the planet.

It doesn’t matter if you are discussing plastic recycling machinery on vehicles or simply talking about the best ways to make recycling easier so more people get involved, any discussion about reducing the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills is vitally important. Even with the best efforts and attention to detail by the various recycling companies, there is still more work to do. As any good environmentalist knows, the efforts to improve the environment have to start from the ground up. You can help do your part by teaching those around you and instructing by example.

The Purposes of Plastic Recycling Machinery on Vehicles is a post from: Recycling Guide. Environmental issues have become part of everyday life read more from Pollution to Sustainable Development.

Of course, you cant get started elsewhere until you take care of the home front first. If recycling plastic bottles isn’t part of your daily habits yet, that is the first place to start. Go ahead and schedule curbside collection of your recyclable materials if you have it available in your area. If not, maybe you and some interested neighbors could organize a recycling drive in your area and take terms delivering the stuff to the closest recycling center. You might be surprised by the response you get. It might even be enough to get your local government leaders to do something about the lack of recycling curbside service.

If there is one place you can expect a lot of people to show up, its the schools. Whether the general public is there for a sporting event or other reason, consider addressing the school board in your area about having plastic bottle recycling bins placed around the various schools grounds during school and for any after hours activities. While you are at it, you might want to suggest some paper recycling bins as well. We all know how much paper schools and kids can go through.

Now is the time to approach the final frontier about plastic bottle recycling. There isn’t a business on the planet that doesn’t have employees walking around sipping out of plastic bottles of all kinds. Approach your boss or supervisor about installing recycling bins for paper and plastic. Recycling bottles isn’t the only way to help out the environment as you know. Be sure to approach the situation with all of your facts in order and ready to go. No doubt, it will help your argument if you offer to take charge of the new program.

Implementing Plastic Bottle Recycling in Your Life is a post from: Recycling Guide. Environmental issues have become part of everyday life read more from Pollution to Sustainable Development.

Just to have a better idea of the path the plastic bottle for recycling travels on, its important to begin at the beginning of the bottles life. Most plastic bottles when they are manufactured from virgin plastic or from partially recycled plastics are given the plastic recycling code of either a one or a two. That means the material they contain are easily recycled and any recycling in the area should have the capabilities to perform that function. Consumers can choose to have curbside pick up service where available or make the effort to take the plastics to the recycling center themselves. Either way, the next steps are crucial in limited the amount of space plastics take up in landfills and the amount of resources and energy used to produce plastics.

Once the plastic bottles to be recycled reach the recycling center, machines take over the hard part. The plastics are separated into types and thoroughly washed and dried. Nothing will mess up the recycling equipment or the process quite like sticky pop or debris clogging up the machinery. After everything is cleaned and ready to go, the recycling plastic bottles are broken down. Depending on the type of cut the recycler wants, the plastic can end up cut into small pieces, cut in ribbons, or broken into large sections.

To keep things simple, the rest of the process for plastic bottle recycling includes melting the pieces down and adding any necessary chemicals to the mixture. From that point, the plastic is placed in molds or given its final shape from other types of equipment. Both plastic recycling codes one and two often are made into products like clothing, carpets, and even new plastic products like toys and plastic bags. With all of the various applications for plastic bottle recycling, your choice should be clear on whether or not your bottle belongs in the recycling bin or the garbage can.

Why Recycling a Plastic Bottle is Important is a post from: Recycling Guide. Environmental issues have become part of everyday life read more from Pollution to Sustainable Development.

Its not going to come as a surprise to anyone that the people of this country are consumers. Its been that way since the Industrial Revolution and shows very few signs of slowing down now. With that said, it is estimated that in 2006, Americans drank an average of 167 bottles of water. Doctors are always encouraging proper hydration, so thats good news, but the bad news is only about 23% of those plastic bottles ended up in recycling bins. If you are good at math, that adds up to about 38 billion plastic bottles just hanging out in landfills. Of course, those numbers don’t touch the plastic bottles from soft drinks and other sources.

Another piece of information that isn’t shocking to anyone is that gas and oil prices are currently at an all time high. You might be wondering what that has to do with recycling plastic bottles. Plastic bottles manufacturing takes about 1.5 million of barrels to produce from virgin plastics for a year. If everyone or even just a few more people would stop using or recycle plastic bottles, that oil could be used for keeping Americas cars and trucks going. It is estimated that the 1.5 million gallons of oil can run 10,000 cars annually. It certainly seems worth saving.

Recycling plastic bottles might not seem that important until you break it down into numbers everyone can understand. The simplest methods for helping out are either making it a point to recycle all of your plastic bottles, or finding ways to not use them in the first place. Fortunately the plastics made for these kinds of bottles are easily recycled and every recycling center that deals with plastics will accept them. Its also a good idea to invest in reusable bottles for your water and beverage needs.

Why Recycling Plastic Bottles is Important is a post from: Recycling Guide. Environmental issues have become part of everyday life read more from Pollution to Sustainable Development.

As with any type of action, there is usually more than one way to achieve a desired goal. Lets take the various methods of plastic recycling for example. While plastic is one of the most collected recycling materials, it is also one of the hardest compounds to break down and use effectively. This fact becomes very clear when you think about the different plastic recycling codes. Those numbers are placed on plastic products to indicate the type of plastic in the products as well as its capability of being recycled. Unlike, paper, glass, and metal, all of which are fairly straightforward products, plastics can consist of several unique kinds of plastics which results in separation much like oil and water when the dissimilar plastic compounds are attempted to be joined together. Experts are working hard and have found some methods of plastic recycling which are working or in the developmental stages for more effective and efficient plastic recycling.

Methods of Plastic Recycling

One of the more popular methods of plastic recycling is the monomer recycling process. This process is successful because it causes the condensation polymer within the plastic product to undergo an inverse polymerization. In normal English, that pretty much means it causes aspects of the plastic to reverse or inverse and thus creates a more stable, recycled plastic. In the end, the process allows for the recycled plastic to be used for the exact same functions, since it is remade as the same material. Unfortunately, work with this method has slowed down due to financial worries.

Another of the methods of plastic recycling that is gaining attention in the scientific and environmental communities is known as the thermal depolymerization process. This method is less precise than the monomer process and is used to convert the plastic polymers into petroleum. Once again, in normal terms, the process takes plastics, melts them down so to speak, and remakes them into a variety of products. The biggest advantage to this type of process is that it is effective with a wide range of polymers and even polymer mixes within the plastics.

With the less complex plastics, the more commonly known methods of plastic recycling are working just fine. As anyone who has studied about the different plastics knows, we are still a long way from being able to effectively recycle all of them. In the meantime, the important thing to do is keep recycling what we can and supporting those who are looking for alternative options. Its only a matter of time until every plastic from number one to number seven is easily recyclable.

Innovative New Methods of Plastic Recycling is a post from: Recycling Guide. Environmental issues have become part of everyday life read more from Pollution to Sustainable Development.