The impact of plastic bags on the environment. How to Recycle Plastic Bags Recycle PET Bottles Plastic Bags

Plastic bags and film

Additional Information:

Types of plastic bags and films.

• polyethylene(marking 02, HDPE, HDPE and 04, LDPE, LDPE): polyethylene is of high and low density (low and high pressure, respectively). If there is no marking, then you can distinguish one material from another as follows: thin rustling packing bags and most of the "T-shirt" bags are 02. Soft, as if oily bags, greenhouse, stretch and bubble wrap are 04.
• polypropylene(marking 05, PP, PP): most often such packaging is shiny and “crispy”, tears easily, does not stretch. Cereals, pasta, bread, biscuits, etc. are packed in polypropylene. Opaque wrappers from chocolate bars are also PP with the addition of dye, such packaging is more difficult to recycle, therefore it is not accepted everywhere.
• combined plastic(marking type C / xx or 07 / other)
• biodegradable and pseudo biodegradable
• polyvinyl chloride(PVC, PVC, 03)

Where can I take plastic bags for recycling?

We do not accept all types of packages. For the exact current list, see our instructions!

• packages: packing, T-shirts, ziplock, for purchases
• film: bubble, greenhouse, stretch
• spunbond bags
• "Sugar" bags and similar bags, bags
• foamed polyethylene
• with markings:

02, HDPE, LDPE, C / 02, C / HDPE
04, LDPE, HDPE, C / 04, C / LDPE

How to return packages and film?

1. on your own to the Collector's pick-up point
2. order a Collector
3. on the shares of our movement, from which we take it to the Collector's warehouse

Do not accept for processing from individuals:

• "Biodegradable" plastic;
• polyvinyl chloride (PVC / PVC / 03);
• plastic 07.

On this site, we collect information bit by bit where to donate rare types of recyclable materials and things. We keep the data up-to-date and check the collection points if you don't trust them.

Most of our work is carried out by volunteers, but in order to structure the information, keep track of its updates and keep the site running, we need the daily work of a content manager. Please, so that we can continue to post relevant information for you!

Good day, brains! Recycling of plastic is a pressing issue and it is brain leadership is one of the answers to it.

Plastic bags are so widespread that they have become one of the elements of littering our space, and the planet as a whole. But not everything is so sad, because you can do it yourself at home, recycle them into sheets of plastic useful for your homemade products.

Step 1: get to know the process

Step 2: materials and tools

• Plastic bags (HDPE)
• Baking parchment
• Baking tray
• Scissors
• Oven

Step 3: preparing packages

To begin with, we save up a large number of bags, I have accumulated about 64 pieces, and as we accumulate, we rinse and dry them.

It should be noted that for the process described in this brain leadership, HDPE bags are needed, LDPE low density polyethylene will work, but it has a lower melting point. Coloring and logos on the bags do not matter, the main thing is the uniformity of the material, as indicated by the marking.

Step 4: slicing the packages

We cut dry and clean bags: we cut off the handles and the bottom, thereby we get polyethylene rings, which we also cut along one side. I decided not to use the sides of the logo bag, so I cut them off to get a solid color. brain plastic.

Step 5: Splicing 4 packets

We begin the process of soldering the polyethylene sheets obtained earlier by cutting the bags. To do this, tear off a piece of parchment for baking a little more than plastic sheets and spread it on a heat-resistant surface, for example, on plywood or OSB. Put a stack of 4 sheets of polyethylene on the parchment, and cover it with another piece of parchment on top.

We turn on the iron and set it to medium temperature, and when it warms up, we begin to iron a stack of polyethylene sheets from the middle to the edges. Well, we iron the sheets over the entire surface, then remove the top parchment and see how the sheets melted. If not very good, then again cover them with parchment and iron them, but at a higher temperature. If holes are formed in the fused sheets, then the temperature of the iron is too high and needs to be reduced.

Having selected the desired temperature, we iron the remaining bags in the same way, thereby making four-layer sheets, which we will later combine into thicker ones.

Step 6: soldering thicker sheets

Now you need to solder the four-layer polyethylene sheets into thicker ones. By brain test and mistakes, I came to the conclusion that four-layer sheets are the most optimal. Fewer layers melt to form holes, and more layers are more difficult to solder.

Therefore, we take two four-layer sheets, place them between the sheets of parchment and iron them at a higher temperature, also from the middle to the edges. To make the process run better, when soldering the iron is carried out with pressure. As a result, we already get eight-layer polyethylene sheets.

In order to make sheets with a large number of layers, then we put a four-layer polyethylene on the eight-layer polyethylene and iron it, etc. to the required thickness of the plastic briquette. In this case, it is recommended to alternate the back and front sides for soldering, that is, turn it over after the next soldering, thereby avoiding deformation of the briquettes.

From four-layer sheets, you can sew light raincoats and bags, from eight-layer coats or a bag. 12-ply sheets and more are suitable for creating backpacks and laptop bags. 24-layer polyethylene can be used to create models and handicrafts, and 64-layer for containers and more durable products.

Step 7: bake the polyethylene

To improve the quality of your multilayer sheets, because sometimes they don't stick well or bubble, you can bake them in the oven. To do this, you need a baking sheet, or preferably two, the same parchment and a few bricks.

We spread parchment on one baking sheet, lay a polyethylene multilayer on it brain briquette, on top of the polyethylene, another sheet of parchment and another baking sheet, on which we place a brick or two for weight.

We put the resulting structure in the oven for half an hour at a temperature of 200 degrees Celsius. After the specified time, we take it out and be sure to let it cool, while not removing the bricks in order to avoid deformation.

When the structure cools down to room temperature, remove the bricks, take out the baked polyethylene and check its edge. If it is completely soldered, integral, then the process was successful, if it is heterogeneous, there are no welded places, then the process may have to be repeated at a higher temperature, up to 230 degrees.

Step 8: trim the edges

In the process of soldering, the edges of the polyethylene briquettes have lost their rectilinear shape, so we take scissors in our hands and give them the desired rectangular shape.

Step 9: Application

Now that the plastic bags are recycled, turn on brain-making and create something useful from briquettes. By the way, this recycled polyethylene can be used for vacuum forming and even for making glue gun rods.
Good luck with your creativity and clean space around you!

Due to its versatility, low cost and durability - plastic has found its application in all spheres of life. Today, plastic is the most common man-made material on the planet. He is also the first in the list of trash. The amount of plastic waste on the planet is reaching epidemic proportions. Many scientists, inventors and entrepreneurs began to pay attention to this problem.

Industrial plastic recycling machines are generally very expensive and complex in design. And let's face it, industrial scale plastic recycling doesn't pay off. Because the production cycle is “ raw material - plastic product"Much shorter and cheaper than -" waste - sorting - plastic product - recycling - cleaning - raw materials - plastic product". That is why not all cities of the world have factories for processing plastic waste. And their massive appearance is not expected in the near future.

It turns out that the niche plastic recycling at home open. And it is waiting for those who monetize it from any side. And the common man doesn't need much. After all, the beauty of this niche is that waste plastic, in fact - rubbish, lies under everyone's feet and is not needed by anyone. That is, excellent and durable material - for free! It remains to pick up, process, in one form or another, and reuse. And if you don't like the result, rework it again!

Project " Precious Plastic»Helps all consumers give new life to plastic waste. He invites everyone to recycle plastic on their own using automatic machines, the drawings of which are freely distributed on the Internet.

This project was developed by a Dutch designer Dave Hakkens shows what can be done to help stop the plague in the environment.

Dave, concerned with the problem of plastic waste, found on the Internet blueprints for several devices that would allow you to somehow recycle plastic at home. Having collected the first samples, improved them, developed a modular concept of future devices, Hackens created an international project " Precious Plastic". In which it invites everyone to assemble and use four simple but effective plastic recycling machines.

The use of devices allows you to extend the service life of various plastic household items, simply by processing them into others. Unnecessary to necessary. Crockery, artificial rattan, various interior elements - this is a small list of items that can be made from household plastic waste using these machines.

Four devices, depending on the type and quality of plastic, allow you to process it in different ways:

• Schroeder or a shredder - a device for shredding plastic waste into crumbs for subsequent processing - heating;
• Extruder or squeezer - a device that squeezes out a heated plastic mass in the form of a rope or tape. That is, an artificial rattan or consumable for a 3D printer is obtained.
• Injector or an injector - heats polymer chips to a plastic mass and injects it into the desired shape;
• Press- plastic crumb is pressed into various new objects under the influence of pressure and high temperature.

The most amazing thing about the project “ Precious Plastic»That such unique cars are given away free of charge. More precisely, the drawings of the device and instructions for their assembly are available to everyone (there will be video instructions just below). All that remains is to collect cars and start making money on them.

How to make money on plastic recycling at home? Recycling plastics and polymers at home!

At first... By recycling waste plastic into desired plastic products and selling them as unique handmade items. This is the simplest and most affordable solution.

Secondly... Whole creative laboratories and coworking spaces are opening up on the basis of Hackens machines. Where anyone can come with their plastic waste, pay money, and work on the machines.

Thirdly... Assistance in the assembly and implementation of devices. Not everyone can master the drawings of devices. And, even more so, collect them. But, they are ready to buy assembled similar machines. Why not take advantage of this? Moreover, the devices in finished form are quite expensive. Assembly, with all the necessary, will take no more than a month from any handy guy in the garage.

Fourth... You definitely have your own ideas!

Video # 1: how to assemble a plastic shredder

Video number 2: how to assemble an extruder for plastic recycling

Video # 3: how to assemble an injector for plastic recycling

Video number 4: how to assemble a press for plastic processing

So, having studied the video, you can start assembling the devices. For more convenient work, we suggest that you study the drawings on the official website of the project. In English.

If the devices are too complex, you can look at an easy way to recycle plastic bottles at home.

Bonus: the simplest device for cutting plastic bottles

A new project appeared on Kickstarter " Plastic bottle cutter"Which gives consumers the ability to reuse plastic bottles.

The simplest device (and you will see this by seeing the photo below) allows you to turn an ordinary plastic bottle into a plastic thread of various thicknesses, which you can use at your discretion.

This thread can be used to weave various items - from small baskets to elegant pieces of furniture.

In general, disposable plastic bottles are a valuable resource due to the highest quality plastics used in their manufacture. But, this advantage is not taken into account by most people and the bottles are simply thrown away. The rate at which bottles are thrown away is growing every day. Thus, the problem of efficient reuse and recycling of these materials is imperative and imperative. This will reduce the scale of environmental pollution.

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What is the danger of a dismissive attitude towards containers and how important is the recycling of polyethylene for the environment? In our life, polyethylene is present as a packaging container, but it is widespread, despite its narrow specialization, everywhere. Almost every home has a bag with bags, which we collect from the principles of economy. But the trouble is, it turns out that the better the raw materials, the more difficult it is to utilize and the longer the period of its decomposition.

Relevance of processing

Recycling of polyethylene raw materials is an important item of expenses for the city, as the material is characterized by incredible stability. He is not afraid of water, alkali, salt solutions. Polyethylene is not afraid even of organic and inorganic acids. It can be noted that these are good qualities, but they can result in a number of problems.

First of all, the environmental situation raises concerns - according to rough estimates, the decomposition of polyethylene takes up to 300 years. If a simple plastic bag ends up in a landfill in the general mass of household waste, then it greatly complicates the recycling process. Over time, this package undergoes thermal aging, gradually decomposing under the influence of sunlight, heat and oxygen. During the destruction, the harmless package releases harmful chemicals into the soil and water.

Alas, it is not possible to limit the production of plastics and polyethylene, but it is possible to rationally organize the entire work process. Waste polyethylene is essentially a versatile material. Recycling of polyethylene, without exaggeration, can be called the new life of raw materials. A person is required to create and improve methods for collecting and processing raw materials in order to make the process cyclical. Polyethylene waste may well become everyday objects.

Processing plants

In recent years, the number of organizations processing this raw material has been steadily growing. Moreover, the point is not only in environmental problems, but also in the prospects for the development of such a business. Polyethylene can be an excellent base for creating plastic panels, trash containers, all kinds of household containers. A certain scope for the imagination of entrepreneurs opens up, although, of course, recycled polyethylene products involve some limitations.

The recycling of film and bags does not cause any difficulties, since the structure of the materials used does not change at most, but the quality of the recycled raw materials decreases, and, accordingly, the scope of further application narrows.

Features of the workflow

There are several recycling cycles for plastic bags and films. The first cycle has almost no effect on reducing the consumer characteristics of new products. But each subsequent cycle makes its own "negative contribution", making the raw materials suitable only for the production of special materials.

According to existing technologies, six stages of polyethylene waste processing can be distinguished:

1. First, there is a collection of raw materials: films, bottles, other household waste. Waste sorting can be done manually or mechanically. If household waste during collection is separated into waste paper, glass, paper, PET, then the amount of waste that needs to be recycled can be reduced by a third.
2. The collected raw materials are sent to washing machines. This step is necessary in order to get rid of dirt, foreign objects and paper. If the raw materials are handed over directly to the collection points, then the receiver can check the condition of the film, bottles, waste paper in order to raise or lower the price offered for them.
3. Further, the collected raw materials are crushed, for which crushing plants are used.
4. In case moisture or accidental solid impurities remain in the raw materials, the process is processed in a centrifuge.
5. Now the material is sent to the drying chamber, where it is also heat treated.
6. The work is completed and the material is ready for recycling. It can be used to make universal products: plastic wrap, bags, packaging containers, pipes.

Work in detail

And now let's try to take a closer look at the process of processing polyethylene into granules, because before that the process was considered only schematically. Of course, the proper equipment is required to work.

Well-established work is possible if:

• washing machine
• crushing plant
• centrifuges
• drying plant
• agglomerator
• granulator
• extruder

In production, the presence of a conveyor or pneumatic conveyor will be relevant, which will fully automate the process.

At home, it is almost impossible to establish an uninterrupted process of obtaining recycled polyethylene, but you can lay the foundation for a promising business. First of all, you can declare the process of collecting raw materials, since without it, such work is, in principle, impossible. Manual sorting of household waste is cheaper than mechanical sorting, but you have to start with a small amount of raw materials used.

Self-processing of the film allows you to obtain a dense waterproof fabric with a waterproofing function. The process of work itself is simple - a piece of film must be laid between two parts of the fabric and ironed with an electric iron. At the exit, a three-layer composite material is obtained, since the film melts and penetrates into the layers of the fabric. With your own hand, you can get a composite material based on a film, fabric and aluminum foil. The workflow is the same except for the fact that one layer of fabric is replaced with foil. Film, fabric and foil material is an excellent heat insulator. With the help of cross-linked polyethylene, many people equip a warm floor in the house.

For greater benefit

Agglomerator is a device capable of processing film and bottles. Due to the effect of temperature, an agglomerate is obtained - baked lumps from former bottles and film. The agglomerate can be realized already at this stage or go further and process it into granules.

The polyethylene granulator allows you to increase the company's income from the collection and sale of secondary raw materials. The result is a product that technically outperforms its “powdery or scaly fellows in the shop” due to its small volume (and, accordingly, lower costs for packaging and transportation), high flowability, minimization of losses and dust formation, and a lower risk of destruction and photoaging.

Why does an enterprise need an extruder? It is just with its help that you can get a unique material - low-pressure polyethylene. The extruder starts working after the agglomerator has its say and turns the result of collection and processing into slurry. Now the molten mass of plastic goes through the forming hole, where it melts and creates threads that are cooled under water and cut into small pieces. At the exit, the HDPE granule is ready.

At low pressure

Low pressure polyethylene is widely used all over the world. It is an organic compound that resembles white wax. Recycled low pressure polyethylene is obtained through the collection and recycling of bottles and pipes.

This material is not afraid of frost or chemicals. It does not feel shocks and is not a current conductor. It should be added that this material is waterproof and does not react with alkalis, acids and salt solutions. HDPE decomposes under the action of nitric acid (50%), chlorine and fluorine.

How this product can come in handy

1. Accessories for swimming pools are made on the basis of HDPE.
2. It is used in the process of 3D printers.
3. Such material is relevant for work under chemical and electrical conditions.
4. HDPE is good for making anti-corrosion coatings, grocery containers, bottles, and collecting plumbing connections.
5. In sports institutions, HDPE is used for the production of gymnastic hoops.
6. In restaurants, HDPE is a future plastic bag, plastic set or container. The HDPE bag rustles and wrinkles, so it is used for so-called "T-shirts".
7. Pyrotechnic manufacturers use HDPE to make their work more spectacular.

Outcome

The processing of polyethylene raw materials into granules makes it possible to significantly reduce the amount of waste in city landfills. Remember that polyethylene and plastic are almost non-degradable. Meanwhile, a successful business can be made on the basis of PET. Do not throw away what may come in handy later. Even a simple bag, bottle, film can be useful for business.

Millions of plastic bags are used and discarded in Moscow every year. It turns out that some of them are being successfully recycled. Today we will go to such a facility and find out how polyethylene is prepared for reuse.

The Moscow Region company "Expert Vtor" does not process all types of plastic bags, but only film, bags, bags, stretch film production rejects (the so-called shrink film) and LDPE.

LDPE is high density polyethylene or, as it is also called, low density polyethylene. Waste LDPE can be formed during the direct production of polyethylene film. There is a lot of waste in stores (packaging of bottles, boxes, boxes), in glass factories (from packaging of bottles, cans), in distilleries and breweries (from packaging of containers or finished products).

Stretch wrap is a linear high-pressure polyethylene (HPL). It can stretch a lot. Due to this property, as well as increased resistance to punctures and tears, stretch films are used for packaging various goods, in particular on pallets (pallets). Waste stretch film is mainly generated and accumulated in warehouses of any value, at customs terminals, in logistics centers, etc.

Popular T-shirt bags made of HDPE (low pressure polyethylene) and "biodegradable" bags, which can be found, for example, in Azbuka Vkusa, are not recycled by the company. Polypropylene films, PVC films, bubble films, polyamide films, multilayer films of LDPE + PP, LDPE + PA, as well as double-sided two-color films are also not suitable. Also, films contaminated with oils, fats, food waste and pesticides are not accepted.

The collected polyethylene goes to the warehouse first. It can store up to 100 tons of film waste, naturally in a pressed form. At the first stage, the raw materials are carefully sorted. Stretch is separated from LDPE, types of films that are not processed by the company's facilities are discarded.

After sorting, packages of a certain color are put into a crusher. In it, on V-shaped knives (this type is also called "dovetail"), the film is crushed to uniform particles. The knives are driven by an electric motor.

From the crusher, through a pneumatic conveyor, the so-called “crushed” enters the sink. In it, with the addition of special cleaning solutions, the "crushed stone" is cleaned of dust and other non-polyethylene inclusions.

The next stage of processing is agglomeration. The so-called "cooking" takes place in it. The operator loads the clean “crushed” into the working chamber through the loading window.

The raw material goes along the guides to the rotating rotor, is crushed with knives and, due to friction against the body, is heated to the plasticization temperature among themselves. In this case, the entire volume of the loaded raw material becomes similar to a mushy mass.

When the material becomes homogeneous, "shock" water is added to it, as a result of which the material is sharply cooled and sintered into separate small balls of irregular shape. For some more time, the agglomerate is dried at the natural ambient temperature and unloaded into a prepared container to go to the final stage. The cooking process itself lasts from 5 to 10 minutes.

The granulation process can be compared to rolling minced meat through a meat grinder. The agglomerate, which we received at the previous stage, is loaded into the extruder hopper.

It is so called because the production of granules is based on the extrusion method - forcing the molten mass through a forming hole.

In general, the "minced meat" from the cooked bags is melted under the influence of the heaters and the pressure created by the rotating auger. The polymer melt is forced through a filter into a rotating extruder head. The so-called threads are already coming out of it. For cooling, they are let through a water sleeve, and then into knives, where they are cut into homogeneous granules.

The granules are packed in clean polypropylene bags, about 50 kg each. No special storage conditions are required, but it is desirable that it be a dry place. The resulting granules, depending on the composition and color, are sold. The natural-colored stretch granule is used for the production of secondary stretch.

Natural-colored LDPE granules are used for the production of secondary shrinkable or technical films. Colored LDPE granules are mainly used for the production of garbage bags.

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