Small communinty recycling?

[William P.N. Smith]

An island I'm associated with in the BWI with about 30 homes just put
in an incinerator for burnable trash, but still generates quite a bit
of non-burnable stuff, plastic bottles, glass, metal cans, all the
traditional recyclable waste.

Is there an easy way for a small community to recycle plastic, glass,
or metal? I'm thinking of something as simple as building materials
or artificial reef structures made from bricks of plastic, glass, or
metal, filler or aggregate for concrete, or other novel uses that
don't require a full recycling plant.

Any thoughts! Many thanks in advance!

 

[Steve Spence]

An island I'm associated with in the BWI with about 30 homes just put
in an incinerator for burnable trash, but still generates quite a bit
of non-burnable stuff, plastic bottles, glass, metal cans, all the
traditional recyclable waste.

Is there an easy way for a small community to recycle plastic, glass,
or metal? I'm thinking of something as simple as building materials
or artificial reef structures made from bricks of plastic, glass, or
metal, filler or aggregate for concrete, or other novel uses that
don't require a full recycling plant.

Any thoughts! Many thanks in advance!

glass can be melted into bricks with high heat. metal can be melted into
ingots for shipment or reuse. Plastic can be shredded and used for a
variety of things, but shipping to a company that reuses plastic pellets
for manufacturing purposes might be best. A solar kiln can generate the
heat needed for melting glass and metal.

 

[Psiclone]

here is a way to recycle metals some folks use hairdryers over charcoal.
http://www.walteranderson.us/hobbies/metalworking/foundry/
http://www.motherearthnews.com/top_articles/1982_January_February/Build_Your_Own_Home_Foundry
http://www.seattlerobotics.org/encoder/200008/GEAR_article.html
be very careful when doing this. if one drop of water from a beer can or
anything goes into the molten metal it wil explode into a spray of metal.
just dry everything very well before melting. then you can make molds for
plates and straps in sand. 1/8th inch deep by 1 foot by 1 foot for plates or
whatever you like. straps are like 1/8th inch by 3inches by 3 feet long or
any size you like. almost anything can be made with straps and plates. if
you make chairs from metal i suggest using a chainmail seat. straps can be
crimped, hammered, or welded into "angle iron" for strong things.

i'm assuming plastic could be slowly heated to molten state as well but i'd
be very careful of fumes that could erupt into fire. do not let open flame
near the fumes when you are melting the shredded plastic. here again you can
make molds in sand or wood for "plates and straps" which can be used to
build anything...

paper can be recycled by putting it in a blender with water then pureeing
it. then pour the liquified pulp in between two plates with 2 pieces of
metal screen to keep it from sticking to the plates... press it with some
great weight[ i envision driving my car onto it]. then let it dry. you can
also make paper with laundry lint like this. bleach it if you want it white.

hey steve, you got a quick link to this solar furnace your talking about? i
thought up a griddle that is heated by a magnifying glass for cooking but
havent ever tried it... is this solar furnace like that? i.e. uses a
magnifying glass?

 

[Steve Spence]

here is a way to recycle metals some folks use hairdryers over charcoal.
http://www.walteranderson.us/hobbies/metalworking/foundry/
http://www.motherearthnews.com/top_articles/1982_January_February/Build_Your_Own_Home_Foundry
http://www.seattlerobotics.org/encoder/200008/GEAR_article.html
be very careful when doing this. if one drop of water from a beer can or
anything goes into the molten metal it wil explode into a spray of metal.
just dry everything very well before melting. then you can make molds for
plates and straps in sand. 1/8th inch deep by 1 foot by 1 foot for plates or
whatever you like. straps are like 1/8th inch by 3inches by 3 feet long or
any size you like. almost anything can be made with straps and plates. if
you make chairs from metal i suggest using a chainmail seat. straps can be
crimped, hammered, or welded into "angle iron" for strong things.

i'm assuming plastic could be slowly heated to molten state as well but i'd
be very careful of fumes that could erupt into fire. do not let open flame
near the fumes when you are melting the shredded plastic. here again you can
make molds in sand or wood for "plates and straps" which can be used to
build anything...

paper can be recycled by putting it in a blender with water then pureeing
it. then pour the liquified pulp in between two plates with 2 pieces of
metal screen to keep it from sticking to the plates... press it with some
great weight[ i envision driving my car onto it]. then let it dry. you can
also make paper with laundry lint like this. bleach it if you want it white.

hey steve, you got a quick link to this solar furnace your talking about? i
thought up a griddle that is heated by a magnifying glass for cooking but
havent ever tried it... is this solar furnace like that? i.e. uses a
magnifying glass?

http://www.amasci.com/amateur/mirror.html
http://www.xenotechresearch.com/solfurn1.htm
http://chuck-wright.com/projects/solar_kiln.html

 

[[email protected]]

Is there an easy way for a small community to recycle plastic, glass,
or metal? I'm thinking of something as simple as building materials
or artificial reef structures...

I visited one tiny BVI island that was increasing its size by pumping
up sand. You might increase the size of the island itself...
Dump the trash and pump sand up over it?

Nick

 

[Psiclone]

far out! thanx steve! now where does one obtain these giant magnifying
glasses?

my idea was just a little griddle for cooking pancakes. that xenotech boils
a quarter in 25 seconds! wowsa! u think a standard solar tracking unit could
hold it steady fo longer jobs involving more material? yikes! thats some
powerful juice.

Psiclone wrote: http://www.motherearthnews.com/top_articles/1982_January_February/Build_Your_Own_Home_Foundry
metal.
for

plates or

whatever you like. straps are like 1/8th inch by 3inches by 3 feet long

or

any size you like. almost anything can be made with straps and plates.

if

you make chairs from metal i suggest using a chainmail seat. straps can

be

crimped, hammered, or welded into "angle iron" for strong things.

i'm assuming plastic could be slowly heated to molten state as well but

i'd

be very careful of fumes that could erupt into fire. do not let open

flame

near the fumes when you are melting the shredded plastic. here again you

can

make molds in sand or wood for "plates and straps" which can be used to
build anything...

paper can be recycled by putting it in a blender with water then

pureeing

it. then pour the liquified pulp in between two plates with 2 pieces of
metal screen to keep it from sticking to the plates... press it with

some

great weight[ i envision driving my car onto it]. then let it dry. you

can

also make paper with laundry lint like this. bleach it if you want it

white.

hey steve, you got a quick link to this solar furnace your talking

about? i

but










Steve Spence

Dir., Green Trust, http://www.green-trust.org

 

[samc]

An island I'm associated with in the BWI with about 30 homes just put
in an incinerator for burnable trash, but still generates quite a bit
of non-burnable stuff, plastic bottles, glass, metal cans, all the
traditional recyclable waste.

Is there an easy way for a small community to recycle plastic, glass,
or metal? I'm thinking of something as simple as building materials
or artificial reef structures made from bricks of plastic, glass, or
metal, filler or aggregate for concrete, or other novel uses that
don't require a full recycling plant.

Any thoughts! Many thanks in advance!

reuse of durable items like glass containers will substantuly reduce the
need for renewed product and broken glass can be reused in new
glassware,concrete,road surfaces,paint & blasting arrogate , just to
name a few . I once read about a Indian inventors home brew plastic
recycling device it involved the use of a bicycle hand pump to make
plastic pellets .

 

[Psiclone]

maybe if some sort of low temperature adobe style oven was made, shredded
plastic could be set in molds then baked to make plates and straps for
multipurpose uses.
again i'm just guessing, but i bet the fumes could ignite easily and as dude
said, certainly dont go and breathe them. is there a link handy for that
indian homebrew plastic recycler system?

 

[William P.N. Smith]

again i'm just guessing, but i bet the fumes could ignite easily and as dude
said, certainly dont go and breathe them. is there a link handy for that
indian homebrew plastic recycler system?

I guess I'll have to experiment, though I'd imagine that there's a
temperature at which the plastic will melt without giving off noxious
fumes.

The homebrew sounds interesting, anyone know any more about it?

Glass and aluminum sound like a lot of fun, but plastic sounds
easiest... 8*)

Thanks!