Plastic Types of Construction Recycling

Plastic recycling on construction jobsites can stop tons of plastic material from entering the solid waste stream and ending in landfills. Construction companies and employees discard several types of plastic every day. The recycled plastic lumber industry grows significantly each year as well, providing materials for deck, marina and other structural construction, states the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Besides plastics used in construction purposes, construction workers frequently transport foodstuffs and beverages in recyclable plastic containers.

Plastic Sheeting Recycling

• Several construction jobsites receive many construction materials wrapped or encased in plastic sheeting typically manufactured from low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Plastic manufacturers commonly form LDPE into stretch wrap, cellophane, and squeeze bottles, according to the Nebraska Energy Office (NEO). Construction materials, such as wood or tile, wrapped in stretch wrap and cellophane for shipping and construction materials, such as glues housed in squeeze bottles, often generate large amounts of plastic sheeting materials easily recycled. Recycled LDPE plastics frequently become similar LDPE plastic products after the completion of recycling and manufacturing processes. Many recycling disposal services provide separate containers to construction sites for different types of recyclable materials and most services request both the cleaning and compaction of recyclable plastics.

Plastic Solid Recycling

• Several forms of solid plastic exist, states NEO. Polyethylene Tterephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and vinyl/polyvinyl chloride (V/PVC) plastics often appear on construction jobsites. PET plastic commonly begins life as food or beverage jars and ably recycles into fabrics and carpet fibers. HDPE plastic frequently holds more volatile liquids, such as soap, motor oil or paint and recyclers convert HDPE into materials used for plastic lumber, trash receptacles and compost containers. V/PVC plastic frequently appears as construction and home materials, such as windows, doors and shower curtains and often becomes fencing, sewer pipes and garden hoses after recycling and manufacturing. The bulk of construction waste often consists of solid plastics. Most construction buckets, pipes and containers begin as raw PET, HDPE or V/PVC plastics.

Plastic Foam Recycling

• Plastic foam recyclable materials often appear on construction jobsites as polypropylene (PP) or polystyrene (PS) plastics. PP plastic, commonly used for food containers, recycles into furniture and carpets, states NEO. PS plastic often becomes plastic lumber or packing peanuts after recycling and manufacturing processes. Plastic recyclable foam, though common across the U.S., often gets excluded from plastic recycling programs simply because large quantities of foam plastics--several truckloads--only produce a small amount of usable plastic. Foam plastics often have large quantities of air yet resist complete compaction for ease of transport. While some areas do recycle foam plastics, most areas do not. The cost of shipping large quantities of foam plastics greatly outweighs the benefits received from foam plastics recycling.