Waste recycling at home. How to recycle garbage at home. Simple mechanism for cutting plastic bottles
Plastic recycling at home will help to cope with the problem of the accumulation of this type of waste. Their main danger lies in the fact that plastic products practically do not decompose naturally, since plastic rots for hundreds of years. While food waste can rot fairly quickly, plastic waste, if not recycled, will continually accumulate. Every year, the need to organize enterprises for the processing of accumulated plastic household waste in every major city is felt more and more.
DIY plastic recycling
Today, most of all household waste is made up of waste consisting of polymers, such as: - Plastic bottles
- Plastic bags
- Factory packaging
- Disposable plastic products
The Japanese experience of dealing with household waste is also curious. The Japanese are building entire islands from household waste, and entire areas of Tokyo have already been built on them. Of course, before that, the Japanese processed garbage into environmentally friendly raw materials.
Plastic recycling in Russia
If we compare our country with the countries listed above, it becomes clear that waste processing in Russia is organized very poorly. Moreover, plastic bottles are the biggest problem today, since almost all liquid goods are produced today in such containers. And this is despite the fact that plastic bottles are very well sorted, and therefore recycling them is quite simple.
And, nevertheless, today all the plastic processing plants existing in our country are loaded at full capacity, but they are not able to cope with the huge flow of garbage. This is especially noticeable in such large cities as Moscow and St. Petersburg, which are the largest producers of plastic waste in the country.
Mountains of plastic surround Russian cities, despite the fact that plastic waste recycling is quite a profitable business. Therefore, the processing of plastic waste today is a very promising business that anyone can organize - after all, the amount of raw materials for processing is growing every year, and, accordingly, the demand for plastic is growing. Thus, quite good money can be made from garbage.
So what do you need to do in order to organize production for the processing of polymer waste at home? In order to build a plant for the processing of polymer waste, it is necessary to obtain a license for this type of activity and various permits from environmental authorities. After that, you need to find a room outside the city, the area of \u200b\u200bwhich will be at least 200 square meters. After that, you will have to purchase equipment for the processing of plastic waste, fortunately, today you can find a wide selection of such equipment from Russian and foreign manufacturers. You will definitely need a plastic crusher, as well as machines for agglomeration and granulation. However, without knowledge of plastic processing technology, you are unlikely to be able to purchase the necessary equipment on your own. Therefore, consider how plastic waste is usually processed in small factories.
Stages of recycling plastic waste
The whole process of recycling plastic waste is divided into three main stages. It: - Splitting up
- Agglomeration
- Granulation
A ton of household plastic waste today can be purchased for about 1,000 rubles. From this amount of raw materials, up to 800 kilograms of recycled polyethylene can be obtained. And the price of one ton of recycled polyethylene today reaches 30,000 rubles. Quite beneficial, isn't it?
However, our calculations do not pretend to be ideally accurate, since in each case the price of finished raw materials and the initial one can differ significantly. In addition, utility bills can also be different along with the cost of employees' salaries.
However, it has been experimentally proven that, subject to the organization of competent purchase of household waste and the sale of recycled material, the monthly profit of such a home plastic processing plant can be from 300 to 800 thousand rubles. And this clearly indicates the fact that at present in Russia this business is quite profitable and promising.
Even if you start your plastic recycling business from a small mini-factory, you can always expand your production. By purchasing additional equipment, you will be able to process new types of plastic, and get better raw materials from them, and, consequently, increase your income.
Moreover, the processing of plastic waste today is a fairly profitable business, since the payback period for the necessary technological equipment is quite low here. Well, since in the near future in this field of activity you can not be afraid of competition, this business is becoming more and more attractive.
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A modern person in everyday life is surrounded by a large amount of waste, and today the issue of plastic recycling is extremely relevant. Products from this material are found everywhere, from a toothbrush to the details of large structures. Even the place of glassware is confident, albeit gradually occupied by plastic containers.
This trend is easily explained - plastic containers do not break, do not overheat, do not become cloudy over time. In addition, plastic products are cheaper, more convenient to transport and do not injure even if damaged. But plastic products litter nature if not properly disposed of. Their main disadvantage is that they do not rot! Therefore, huge landfills are full of plastic bags, bottles, cans and dishes. The question arises - is it possible to dispose of waste in a way that is safe for nature?
Classification of plastic products
From the total mass of plastic, thermosetting and thermoplastic groups can be distinguished, but the process of obtaining products in both cases involves the formation of the product in special presses or with the help of equipment that invents the product. The difference between the groups lies in the possibility of cyclic circulation.
- Thermosetting plastics harden after melting and are not suitable for further processing, as they begin to char. An example is polystyrene, which is used to manufacture electrical sockets and plugs.
- Thermoplastic types of plastic can be recycled many times. This is, for example, polyethylene or polypropylene, which can be melted repeatedly, but the material becomes less durable. In particular, polyethylene becomes cloudy and brittle when heated. You can’t count on the quality of what has been created, but you can use the material for simple things like plates and vases.
Disposal of plastic bottles is considered one of the topical environmental problems, significant masses are stored in landfills. Since they do not rot, and when burned, they emit toxic fumes into the atmosphere, it is necessary to sort the plastic with subsequent processing.
PET is a fairly demanded recyclable material, which is a source for polymers. Unfortunately, the plastic recycling mechanism has not yet been worked out and, accordingly, is far from perfect.
Even a small town throws out more than 20 tons of PET bottles every year and the volume of waste continues to grow. It turns out that recycling is a necessary measure that allows you to delay the environmental catastrophe.
Recycling principle
In most foreign countries, the recycling of plastic bottles has been replaced by a cyclic waste-free production. In Russia, a similar movement is at the stage of development. If we count the total amount of PET waste in landfills, then it would be enough for all functioning enterprises capable of processing plastic and plastic. In the meantime, only 10% of the total amount of plastic is recycled in Russia, and, mainly, this is a part of production waste and quite a bit of consumer waste.
PET waste classification
In residential buildings, a small part of the total amount of recycled plastic goes to waste. But most of it is given by enterprises and shopping centers, where goods and cargo are packed and unpacked. You can classify waste by complexity and cost of processing.
The necessary properties have clean waste received from any production, in places with well-established separate collection and sorting. These are medical waste, plastic containers and PET. The profitability of processing is high.
Average properties of similar waste with a certain amount of pollution and with the intended use in the food industry. The collection and recycling of plastic bottles in this version is complicated by the costs of sorting and washing products.
Difficult disposal of bottles and poor material properties - in production associated with automotive or household appliances. The collection and processing of such materials has low profitability, so in Russia this is practically not done.
It is possible to distinguish the classification by types and types of polymers:
- Waste of large-tonnage and expensive plastics with a developed market and high technical equipment. This includes film, lumpy plastic, disposable tableware and fibers, as well as PVC.
- Waste packaging and production, which today do not have a developed market. This includes used PET containers, food packaging films, disposable tableware and thermal insulation materials, as well as old building materials.
According to the method of disposal and the degree of environmental damage, four types of plastic waste can be distinguished:
- Allowing reuse, this is 10% of the total mass of polymers.
- Allowing the processing of polymers into monomers or artificial fuel. This is a promising direction of processing with one drawback - high cost.
- Waste that is burned to produce heat and electricity. It only needs to grind the materials for recycling.
- Waste that can be buried in general landfills without much harm.
Processing methods
The recycling business can be quite lucrative, as it helps to reduce the cost of packaging, but plastic can be used for other purposes. Types of recycling plastic bottles at home:
- Firstly, you can use plastic for building at home. To do this, the waste is pressed and blocks are prepared with the addition of chips.
- Secondly, bottles can be used for the production of dolls, cups and other souvenirs.
The main technological stages of processing
- First, bottles are collected and then sorted.
- The second stage is crushing. It requires special technical equipment to obtain flex.
- Now the flex is washed with caustic soda. The resulting mass goes to a centrifuge to separate paper and other foreign elements. This is the so-called flotation process, which also removes the rings and bottle caps.
- Flex packaging is the final stage, which allows for sale.
- Agglomeration and granulation can be applied to obtain a more convenient and high-quality product. In fact, this is the sintering of the flex with the transformation into granules.
In total, all the technical equipment for this process will cost several tens of thousands of dollars. At home, such production cannot be processed, but this is a great idea for a business.
We live in a consumer society. Every day we throw away a significant amount of garbage, without thinking at all what happens to it next. Since the standard of living, and with it the volume of consumption, is constantly rising, the amount of waste is increasing every year.
Composting is the ideal way to recycle municipal solid waste at home and has been known to mankind since time immemorial. This is not surprising, because from ordinary garbage you can get compost, which is an indispensable organic fertilizer for the garden. During the composting process, the organic matter contained in the garbage is broken down by beneficial microorganisms and converted into valuable organic fertilizers. Moreover, in order to start processing household waste in this way, you do not need to make any serious efforts at all, but it is enough just to equip a compost pit.
In one or two summers, organic debris completely rots, turning into fertile inorganic humus, which is rich in minerals and is an excellent fertilizer for many plant species. It is also convenient that you can add anything to the compost that can rot fairly quickly: food leftovers, weeds, fallen leaves, manure, paper and other household waste.
In addition, gardeners have noticed that plants such as zucchini, pumpkin and squash grow well on compost. Therefore, you can combine business with pleasure, and plant these crops directly on the compost heap so that the land does not go to waste.
The composting method, subject to its correct implementation, is good for its “wastelessness”, since it allows you to kill two birds with one stone: firstly, it makes it possible to constantly maintain order in the house and on the site, getting rid of garbage in a timely manner, and secondly, - thanks to him, you can process unnecessary garbage into high-quality fertilizer free of charge.
Bioreactor for the destruction of domestic waste.
The simplest biogas plants can be used as treatment facilities for recycling waste at home. The advantage of their use lies in the fact that, in addition to simple processing of municipal solid waste, with such a device you can get energy that can be used for a variety of purposes - heating the installation itself, organizing domestic gas supply, generating heat and electricity. Well, if you start enriching the biogas obtained at home from household waste (increasing the content of methane in it), then you can even refuel cars with this.
The benefits of a biogas plant are as follows:
- Ecological. Thanks to the disposal of garbage in this way, it is possible to significantly reduce emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere that enter there as a result of traditional waste incineration;
- Energy. When disposing of household waste in a similar way, heat and electricity can be obtained from the resulting biogas;
- Economic. Thanks to the construction of a biogas plant, you can significantly save money on waste disposal;
- The installation can be used as an autonomous power source for remote regions. After all, it is far from a secret that even today many houses in remote corners of Russia are heated with wood. And the installation of such a biogas station would be a great way out for residents of such regions;
- Biogas plants, ideal for household waste disposal, can be freely placed in any region, since they do not require the construction of complex infrastructure;
- A biogas plant operating on household waste, subject to the constant availability of raw materials, can partially provide heat and electricity to small villages, making them completely independent;
- Homemade biogas can be used as an excellent fuel for internal combustion engines.
Recycling at home is one of the keys to a green lifestyle. Our home is a treasure trove of items that can be reused or recycled. And if we step out of the path of disposable use, which is imposed by manufacturers and the consumer society, then many objects will appear before us in a different light. It turns out that things that we threw away without hesitation can be breathed new life. They can be processed independently or used in another capacity. Here are 9 household items that you can recycle at home.
1. Plastic bottles from various drinks
There are countless uses for an ordinary plastic bottle, you just have to search the Internet. This is one of the most versatile things in home recycling. In addition to being reusable for storing drinks, it can be used to make a huge number of useful objects for the home and garden. For example, you can make a bird feeder, a plant pot, decorations and all kinds of organizers. However, when processing this type of plastic, it must be remembered that when heated, it can release substances harmful to health, so it is not recommended to melt or burn it.
I would also like to note that instead of purchasing bottled water, it is better to use reusable filter bottles. If too many plastic bottles have accumulated and you do not know what to do with them, then it is better to take them to a recycling center.
2. Old worn out jeans
Old jeans can be used to make bags, aprons, skirts, quilts, pillows, organizers, and so on. Some cities have collection points for old clothes to be recycled or donated to those in need. You can read more about the industrial processing of clothing in this article.
3. Old unnecessary CDs, DVDs, VHS cassettes
From CDs and DVDs you can make a scarecrow, thanks to the reflected light from the disks, birds will fly around delicious fruits in the garden or vegetable garden. From them you can make all sorts of decorative crafts, curtains, lamps, discus throwers, garlands, etc. In Russia, some companies are engaged in the processing of CDs and DVDs, so sometimes they can be taken to a collection point. Film from old video cassettes can be used instead of ropes.
4. Plastic bags
Old plastic bags, while they are still intact, can be used to go to the store. Although, of course, it is better to go grocery shopping with a reusable bag and try not to purchase disposable plastic bags. Old bags are a good substitute for purchased garbage bags. Plastic bags can also be used to make many different decorative crafts. They knit and weave various useful things, make bags and toys.
Plastic bags are rarely accepted for recycling because their light weight makes recycling unprofitable, but some companies accept single-use plastic bags.
5. Old cell phones
Cell phone recycling is a high-tech process. But if you have an old phone, you can clean it, find a new panel and give it to someone who needs it, you can sell it via the Internet, take it to a thrift store or a specialized collection point. Some manufacturers have programs to take back old cell phones when you buy new ones.
6. Waste paper
You can make designer paper from waste paper, you can read about it in the article “Paper recycling at home”. Envelopes can be used to store seeds. You can also make garden mulch out of paper. Waste paper can be handed over to the collection point. You can read more about waste paper recycling technology here.
7. Wine corks
Corks can be cut and used to make a hot plate, hallway rugs, all kinds of decorative items and decorations. They can plug bottles with homemade sauces, oils and drinks.
8. Hair bands
Soft hair bands can be washed, dried and used to tie up plants in the garden or to tie bags in the kitchen. Large hair ties can be used as curtain ties.
9. A variety of organic waste
A number of organic waste can be recycled at home through composting. Suitable for processing food waste except meat, bones, butter, egg yolks, garden waste such as grass clippings, flowers, cuttings, leaves, hay, sawdust, paper, etc. Compost is very useful for the garden, it is used to improve the quality of the soil and as a mulch. You can read more about composting waste in this article.
For seven years in a row, Antonina Tarasova, a resident of Chernihiv, and her children - son Maxim and daughter Alena - have not thrown food leftovers into the trash. Thanks to the unique container for food waste fermentation, or, more simply, a plastic bucket with a faucet, they get useful fertilizer from food leftovers. If most people became interested in such biotechnologies, and if everyone had such a mini-factory for the production of compost in their kitchen, then, according to Antonina Nikolaevna, we would not only be fairly enriched, but also heal the planet. In addition, they would teach this to their children, who would later take care of the world around them and pass on the experience to the next generations.
We recently visited Antonina Tarasova, a social activist and author of many environmental projects, and saw with our own eyes how a woman uses a container for fermenting food waste, and also heard a lot of positive things about using this wonderful installation.
“The container consists of a fifteen-liter cylinder, the bottom of which is raised ten centimeters,” says Antonina. - There is a tap in the wall on one side of the bucket. A special grille is installed in the middle, as well as two covers - internal and external.
In a regular plastic trash bag, I make holes with a fork through which the liquid will drain to the bottom. I fill the bag with food processor shredded waste. It can be a peel from a melon, watermelon, potato peelings, bones from apples and pears, the remains of other fruits and vegetables. Among the organic waste suitable for processing are the remains of bakery products, flour, cereals and cereals, bran, soaked paper and cardboard, sawdust of deciduous trees, residues from the processing of meat and fish.
Do not put bones and scales in the bag. Egg shells are also not fermented, but they can be used as fertilizer. Then I add a special tool that I buy in advance. I tightly close the inner lid and press it down with a large stone. Then I close the bucket with another lid and put the container on the floor. Thanks to bacteria, yeasts and fungi that process organic matter, there is no unpleasant smell, ”the woman explains.
According to Antonina Tarasova, the container provides two types of fertilizer: compost, which can be stored in the basement, and liquid, which is collected in plastic bottles.
“The liquid formed after the processing of food waste is very valuable,” the hostess continues. - Once or twice a week, it can be watered indoor. To do this, you need to make a special solution: one teaspoon is enough for ten liters of non-chlorinated water. We also use this liquid in the country, we process the beds. Helps organics fight fat deposits and lime on the walls of the sink, bathtub and toilet bowl.
I also use the solution in the toilet on the plot in the village. I just pour 250 ml of the product into the cesspool, and the smell disappears after a week, and after three months, fertilizer is formed there, which can then be used in gardening. The land, which I water with organic matter, becomes loosened, and subsequently earthworms willingly settle there for permanent residence. The soil enriched with liquid from the container gives a much better harvest of vegetables and fruits. And we get all this at almost no cost!”
For two hours, the hostess talked about the disposal of organic residues at home, that only microorganisms can recycle garbage and not harm nature.
“Microbes and plants are the main participants in the food chain, because they close its extreme links,” explains Antonina. Everything starts with plants. Only they form organic substances that are repeatedly transformed and serve as food and building material for all forms of life.
A few decades ago, the word “biotechnology” was associated with sterile cleanliness, various complex devices, highly qualified employees, and even state secrets. At that time, few people thought that biotechnology is one of the manifestations of various forms of life. This technology is “bio” because living microorganisms work here: bacteria, fungi and yeast. They work not for remuneration (no one has yet thought of paying a salary to microbes), but because that is how they are arranged.
People simply do not think about how much organic matter they throw away, - continues Antonina Tarasova. - Having visited the landfill beyond Masanakh, having seen real heaps of garbage and flocks of crows that are prowling in search of food, having felt an unbearably stable and pungent smell hovering several kilometers from that place, I could not calm down for a long time. We are destroying ourselves! Something needs to be done about this!”
The woman believes that if such a device were used in every home, the ecological situation could be corrected.
“Thanks to the containers, a family of three or four people can receive half a ton of organic fertilizer per year, which is five to fifteen times more effective than humus,” says Antonina. - Recycled food waste instead of a landfill would fall into vegetable gardens or flower beds near high-rise buildings. In the bucket, organic residues do not rot, but are processed with the help of effective microorganisms.
Within seven to ten days, organic matter can be used in crop production, horticulture, for the production of fertilizers, and wastewater treatment. For example, Japan has a long-standing program to clean up the Inland Sea of Japan. In this country, containers are used by almost four million families, and in South Korea, only in one of the districts of the city of Busan - more than two million people. There is even a movement in the United States that promotes the use of such installations in schools, businesses and catering establishments.”