Table of Contents
Introduction:
Recycling is probably one of the best ways you can positively contribute to this ecosystem. By now, it is a well-established reality that recycling is not only important for our natural environment but is also important for us. This leads us to the unwanted realization that we must act swiftly, or else we might end up losing this planet.
The amount of waste we create annually is constantly on the rise because of many reasons. With the continuous increase in population, the more people, the more amount of waste is generated. Also, with every passing day, new packaging which is mainly plastic and technological products are being developed, Now, this development of new packaging would not have been a problem if it were not for the fact that they are made of non-biodegradable material. Aside from this, the only feasible way of dumping waste as of now is the landfill site, which in itself is a bigger problem. These landfill sites are notorious for releasing greenhouse gasses and harmful chemicals, which is the lead cause of global warming. Also, Recycling these products requires much more energy, than it is required to make these products from scratch.
Now that we have established the importance of recycling, this leads us to our primary question, which is Are pool floats recyclable?
Are pool floats recyclable?
Most of the inflatable pool floats which are available in the market are made up of polyvinyl chloride, which makes it difficult to recycle, and nearly most recycling facilities do not accept them either. This can be determined by recycling code 3, which hints at difficult recycling. To determine whether or not your pool float can be recycled, simply check the recycling number engraved on the pool float. If there isn’t one, there is a higher chance that it is recycling number 3, which means it is difficult to recycle. But, that still doesn’t mean it can’t be recycled at all. You will just have to find a place, which deals in recycling polyvinyl chloride inflatables.
Here’s how you can treat your inflatables.
- Repair it:
If the only reason you are getting rid of your inflatable pool is because of a rip or tear, you should probably rethink it. This is because they are easy to patch, which will eventually make them last much longer if done properly. This will also save you money, as you won’t be needing a new one any time soon.
For this purpose, you need to determine where the hole is. This can be done easily by simply filling it up with air and submerging it in water and looking for the escaping air bubbles. Once you are done with it, take a piece of tape and along with some waterproof glue and simply place it over the hole firmly, until it gets nice and dry. Always check it thoroughly before you let your kids play in it again.
- Up-Cycle it:
This means you can simply re-purpose the inflatable for another use. If you are good with arts and crafts, this might turn out to be a fun project for you. This is a more feasible option than to simply dump it out in landfill sites.
There are many creative things you can do to upcycle your pool float. You can either turn it into a bag, purse, wallet, matt, or even table cloth.
- Gift it away:
If you simply want to get rid of your inflatable pool for whatever reason, simply gift it away. This way you will be able to get rid of it, and the recipient would save up on the cost of a new inflatable pool, at the same time reducing the carbon print.
Recycling Methods:
By now we have established that inflatable floats which are mostly made of PVC are not that easy to recycle, therefore the aforementioned options are the most feasible option in this regard. This is because the chlorine percentage for PVC is around 56%, which makes it difficult to recycle. This is because PVC requires separation from other plastics.
You can either recycle it in two ways
- Mechanical recycling.
- Feedstock recycling.
Mechanical recycling:
involves treating waste to reduce it into smaller particles. This results in granules, which can then be melted and further remoulded into different products
On the contrary, feedstock recycling involves chemical processes, such as pyrolysis and heating, which is used to convert waste into chemical components. This results in products NaCl, calcium chloride, which is further used to produce new PVC.
Conclusion:
Having said all that, recycling PVC is not an easy and feasible option. Also, it may require a huge effort to search for a PVC recycler. Therefore, try to opt for alternative options such as giving away, this way not only will you get rid of it, you will also contribute to reducing carbon print