Plastic is everywhere and creates a massive environmental disaster. It's very hard not to use plastic in the modern society but you can upcycle HDPE. High-density polyethylene is a free material found in common packaging. You can recognize it with the recycle logo 2. HDPE is often used for washing chemicals, milk and petrol.
HDPE
It has many positive characteristics en that's why it's used allot for packaging and tubing. Some of the characteristics are:
- It is a thermoplastic what means that you can melt it. This is handy to recycle it in a new shape.
- Special burners can completely burn the plastic and no toxic chemicals will be emitted.
- organisms can't break it down
- melts at 90 degrees Celsius
- hygienic
Collecting HDPE
Collecting HDPE is quite easy. It is often used for packaging, garden furniture and tubing. If it's packaging try to remove the label. In the house you can collect milk jugs or washing liquid bottles they are a great source. Cut the bottles in small pieces to reduce space.
DIY
- Step 1:
For reusing the material you first need to melt it back to a block. This can be done in the oven on 180 degrees Celsius. Fill a metal container with plastic. when its molten you have to squeeze and add more plastic till the can is full. When the can is full you have to hammer in the plastic so its really compressed. The more pressure the better. - Step 2:
Make something simple to practice. Make a cutting board, a hammer, tiles or simply a block. When your skilled you can make machine parts! A nice video about making HDPE things is here.
Recyclebot & 3D printing
3D printing exploded in the last 5 years, the machines are getting affordable. The printing is now no problem but the filament is really expensive. They now invented the recyclebot this is a machine that recycles HDPE into filament suitable for a 3d printer! 3D printers are a great way to become more less reliable on shops. This is definitely handy as a homesteader.