Yes, UV Resistant Recycled Plastic Lumber lasts and lasts
What happens to your ‘blue recycled trash’ materials? A common question regarding recycling is, ‘Does It Work’?
The answer is ‘YES’ it certainly works.
One of the most recycled plastic materials is HDPE. This is the material that laundry detergent bottles, milk jugs, opaque vitamin bottles and many more common household containers are made from. The HDPE is a FDA and NSF approved resin, and is the go to material for cutting boards, margarine containers, food storage containers, and many of your milky colored drinking cups.
So, what happens to these items after you put them into your recycle bin?
Your local recycling center sorts through your clean recyclables and segregates the materials by the type of plastic. HDPE has the recycle code of #2, and this can be found on the bottom of many of your plastic items. The other plastic items are sorted out based on the recycle number and type of material. This allows for better and more efficient reprocessing of these resins into new and re-purposed items.
The reprocessing of plastic scrap or discarded post consumer products generated a large quantity of plastic material. The HDPE recycling market is a fast growing area of the recycled plastic sector. The other common plastic that is recycled is PET, which has the code of #1, and this is the very clear water bottles and soda bottle material.
Once the discarded containers and other HDPE scraps are collected, they are sent to a recycle plant. This is where the containers are cleaned, sent to the grinder, and converted into small pieces that can be used in the manufacture of new products. This reprocessing of post consumer goods into a usable plastic lumber is the first step in the recycling process. Much later, after the very long life of the HDPE recycled lumber is over, it can be again reprocessed into another recycled HDPE product, maybe even another piece of HDPE plastic lumber. The cycle of using an already produced plastic product, and then reusing, recycling or re-purposing this material is as environmentally responsible as any consumer can be. This ‘closed loop’ recycling eliminates the use of other natural resources, and cuts the impact on our planet.
In a recent press release, HDPE recycled content from milk jugs, laundry detergent bottles, shampoo bottles and other post consumer content are gathered. Then it is ground to usable sizes, and then reprocessed into Recycled HDPE Plastic Lumber. The only additive are the colorant and a UV stabilizer or UV resistant additive. The material is sent threw an extruded or molding process, and the result is a plastic boards that look like real wood, but will out last any wood product by 5 – 10 times, and not require the maintenance that we know is required with wood lumber. The premium recycled HDPE plastic lumber, made by Bedford Technologies, has a 50 year warranty.
That’s a long time, our UV Resistant Recycled Plastic Lumber will last.
Plastic lumber does not rot, splinter, require paint or sealants annually, nor any other regular maintenance. Perhaps a semi-regular washing down is all that would be needed to have this material continue to look like new.
What are popular items that are made from this recycled HDPE plastic lumber? The limit to uses is only limited by your imagination. Some of the most common HDPE plastic lumber products are: outdoor decks, outdoor furniture, docks for lakes and marinas, trellises, walkways, playground components, parking bumpers, sign posts and many more. All of these items outperform the lumber products previous used for these applications.
Call us for more information on the available sizes and colors of recycles HDPE plastic lumber, 866-832-9315.
People in the plastics industry have known for over 50 years that Polycarbonate Sheets are tough. This clear plastic sheet material is commonly used to replace window glazing. The best known property for this polycarbonate sheet material is that it is break resistant, or in many cases, considered unbreakable. This is a great benefit for areas where window glass is broken easily.
Recently some cities have passed ordinances to change out the plywood window coverings on abandoned homes, and they are installing clear polycarbonate sheets instead. This is a very attractive replacement, and is a big step in fighting the blight of abandoned homes.
Polycarbonate is produced under several trade names, including Plaskolite Tuffak® GP, Covestro Makrolon®, SABIC Lexan®, Cyrolon®, Zelux® and many more. These materials are available in sheets, plate, slab, bar and rod.
Read more on this material below.
Excerpt from AZCentral, The Arizona Republic:
Property owners and banks in Phoenix had begun outfitting windows with sheets of polycarbonate, a thin, nearly indestructible plastic that mirrors the appearance of glass.
And last month, the city became among the first in the U.S. to make polycarbonate windows a matter of municipal law.
Phoenix now requires all window and door openings visible from the street to be secured with the material if the structure has been unoccupied for more than 90 days. The 90-day provision is also new, replacing the previous deadline of 180 days. The measures were the result of an abandoned buildings task force that Gallego spearheaded.
No one likes living next to abandoned buildings with boarded up doors or windows. So the city of Durham started replacing the plywood eyesores with a clear, durable plastic.
The city is working to reduce the number of abandoned houses by helping owners fix them up. But for houses that still need boarding up, the city has found that plastic not only improves the overall appearance of a neighborhood, it may reduce crime by discouraging squatters and making it easier for police to see inside vacant buildings.
“I can’t stress enough how the elimination of the boards has a tremendous positive impact on neighborhoods and communities,” said Faith Gardner, housing code administrator of the city’s department of neighborhood improvement services.
Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/durham-county/article20778429.html#storylink=cpy
These communities have fought back against vandalism and crime, as well as enhanced the value of local homes by changing from Plywood to Clear Polycarbonate Sheets. Tuffak GP is a super tough glazing grade clear Polycarbonate Sheet material is the same kind of material that Police Officers use for face shields and banks are using for bullet resistant glazing.
The premier manufacturer of Polycarbonate Sheet in the USA is Tuffak® PG made by Plaskolite and made from Covestro® (formerly Bayer MaterialScience) resins, and they produce Tuffak® GP Polycarbonate Sheet. Polycarbonate is also available in rod and thick plate for machined parts.
Consider using Polycarbonate sheet for your next glazing material.
While you can purchase a piece of plastic from many different suppliers, there are some significant differences between these suppliers. Some of the main differences are in the manufacturers and the materials that you get supplied.
We see a wide range of materials and some drastically inferior grades of materials being sold to clients. Some materials have been produced too quickly or cooled too quickly causing a very high stressed plastic piece. These high stressed materials will warp, twist or crack when they get heated or during cutting. This material on the right is a piece of highly stressed Nylon. While cutting the material, our new customer had to stop the saw due to the severe warping and binding of the saw by this material. This new client brought this 24″ long part, and asked if we would cut it for him. We bought this part from him as an excellent example of a high stress plastic. (We did cut a quality piece of material to solve his problem).
One example of differences between manufacturers, is Gehr PVC rod is NSF 51 certified, while Simona PVC rod is not.
Other things you should consider when choosing a quality plastic supplier:
Quality of Materials
Origin of Materials
Huge In Stock Inventory of Plastic Rod
Expert Support
In Stock Materials
Cutting – Converting Services
Longevity – How Long Have They Been In Business (We started in 1975)
Product Knowledge and Experience Equals Quality Plastic Suppliers
We believe that providing quality products is only part of our duty to you. You have intrusted us to help with your requirements, and we believe we should be good stewards of this trust, all part of being a quality plastic supplier. A plastic sheet supplier should advise you if the material you are looking for is the ‘wrong’ material. Acrylic does not do well at 450 degrees. Styrene does not make a good chemical tank. HDPE and PTFE do not bond. These and many more ‘land mines’ are things we help our clients with everyday. We have an experienced client support team (plastic experts), and we value the opportunity to assist our clients with this experience. Go ahead, ask us a question – that is why we have a “Ask A Plasticologist” page on our website.
If you need help, from what are the properties of Acetal, to temperature range on Ultem, please contact us.We look forward to assisting you and all our clients. Feel free to contact us with any questions, concerns or requests – call us at 866-832-9315 or e-mail us here.
A common standard item in the metals industry is ‘strip’. Strip is normally a piece of material that is 1/16″ – 3/8″ thick and 1.0″ – 4.0″ wide, although thicker and wider materials can also be referred to as strip. The metals industry produces various metals in these sizes of strip. In the plastics industry, strip is something we cut from larger sheets. The sizes are the same as listed above, but are cut from 48″ X 96″ or 48″ X 120″ sheets.
The a few of the most common plastics materials we cut to plastic strips are:
Most plastics can be cut to these strip sizes, with various lengths available depending on type of material. In some materials and in some sizes, depending on quantity, special run to size plastic strip is available. These special run plastic strips can be run to almost any length. Specifically, in the UHMW and PTFE materials, much longer lengths are available in rolls of material. The UHMW can be purchased in standard and adhesive back varieties. This UHMW with adhesive is a commonly used item in the wear strip applications because of its ease of installation. A large market for this kind of strip is in the food processing industry for all wear points and to reduce noise in the plant. Some of these same sizes with adhesive on the back are available in the PTFE, and are available in long tape style rolls. In some cases, colors other than natural are available, contact us for details.
Plastic Strip and Strips are available in special sizes
With the massive range of plastics available, and most of these materials available to be cut to strips, the nearly unlimited amount of choices in plastic strip availability make this post difficult to be all inclusive. Great material for the industrial, food processing, material handling, automotive and recreational industries.
Most plastics are available in large sheets, and we can cut these sheets to strip for you. Also, depending on the material, size and quantity, we can custom extrude your strip in longer lengths and to your requirements. Decide on a type of plastic, determine the size and quantity, and give us a call. Use your imagination, we can help.
If you have a project where strips would be ideal, please contact us to see if the type of material you need is available in the strip configuration that would be beneficial. Call us at: 866-832-9315 or drop us an email and we will be happy to go to work on your requirement.
Topic: Plastic Strip and Plastic Strips – Strip Plastics
Is HDPE Sheet and Acetal Homopolymer Sheet the same?
Here is another popular question asked by our clients. Is HDPE the same as Acetal Copolymer / Delrin Acetal Homopolymer? No, they are two totally different materials. Although the natural color of both is a milky white to opaque white, and they do look a bit similar, they are not. (HDPE is milky white to almost translucent depending on thickness, and the Acetal materials are a more opaque white to slightly milky – once again depending on thickness . See picture below of .500″ thick samples of HDPE and Acetal sheets)
HDPE and Acetal – Some Differences
The HDPE sheet and rod is a softer material, and is commonly known for its FDA certification and used in numerous food applications, such as: one gallon milk jugs, cutting boards, colored water glasses/cups, and many, many more. While it can be machined, because it is a bit softer and lighter, the tolerances it can be machined to are not very tight. It is not bondable, so it makes a great non-stick surface for sticky foods and adhesives.
The Acetal Copolymer and the premium Delrin® Acetal Homopolymer also have FDA certification, and are used heavily in the food processing industry. This material is a more mechanical material and is used in bearing and wear applications, cams, feeder screws, etc. This material is can be machined to tight tolerances, and will wear for long periods without lubrication. Due to its exceptional wear properties, it is not bondable, thus requiring mechanical fastening or threads to assemble. It has a very low water absorption, and you will find it in your toilet tank as the white moving parts in the filler mechanism. It is an extremely popular material for machinists, as it works much like soft brass.
While HDPE Sheet and Acetal Sheet look similar, they perform quite a bit differently.
While both materials are FDA approved, are machinable and can be used to make rigid wear resistant parts, they are two different resins and have drastically different physical properties. Another major difference is in the weight of these items, HDPE sheet and rod material weighs about 35% less than the Acetal sheet and rod material. Please check the data sheets for more information to assist in proper material selection.Acetal Data Sheet and HDPE Sheet Data
Acetal is commonly known as: Delrin Homopolymer Acetal, Tecaform AH,Ensital, Unital, Pomalux, Ultraform and many more.
HDPE is also known as: Ultraethylux,Densetec, Polystone G, Fortiflex, Versadur, Hostalen, and many more.
Contact us for more details on the HDPE and Acetal families of plastic materials, e-mail us or call 866-832-9315 Topic: HDPE sheet and Delrin Sheet (Acetal Sheet)
Things you should know about Polycarbonate Sheet, Sheets and Panels
A common misconception is that ‘all polycarbonate sheets are the same’. This is not true, as a matter of fact, it is far from a fact. While most manufacturers of polycarbonate sheets start with a similar base resin, this is where the similarities normally stop. Most polycarbonate sheet extruders run a base material far different from what the standard has been for the last 30 years. Most polycarbonate sheet is now made without the flame rating it had in the past. Polycarbonate Sheets are sometimes called ‘polycarbonate panels’ or ‘polycarbonate plates’, they are still made from the same high quality resins. One of the best known manufacturers of Polycarbonate resins and sheets is Sabic Polymers®, the manufacturers of Lexan® resin and Lexan® Sheet products. Over the last several years, Sabic has quietly discontinued the UL ratings on their Polycarbonate.
Industrial Plastic Supply And Tuffak GP (formerly Makrolon GP)
For more than 30 years, Industrial Plastic Supply has relied on the high quality Polycarbonate Sheets produced by Sheffield, now part of Plaskolite (formerly Covestro and Bayer MaterialScience). Plaskolite produces a crystal clear, ultra high impact strength polycarbonate resin, this Makrolon resin is the finest in the industry. Plaskolite has also chosen to continue to produce this high quality material in general purpose, and the Tuffak GP meets the UL 94 V-0 rating, the only supplier to continue this expensive, but extremely valuable service. Take a moment and look at your requirements, see if perhaps somewhere on the blue print is a note that states your polycarbonate material needs to be UL 94 V-0 approved or rated. If so, Tuffak GP is your only and best choice!
How is Plaskolite Tuffak GP Polycarbonate available
We stock Plaskolite (formerly Covestro – Bayer MaterialScience) Tuffak GP in flat panels, considered Polycarbonate Sheet or as Polycarbonate Sheets. We can cut theses sheet Polycarbonate materials to strip or strips, blocks, or just a cut to size piece. At Industrial Plastic Supply we have stocked large quantities of these materials, and continue to keep Tuffak GP (formerly Makrolon GP) and Tuffak FI (formerly Makrolon FI) sheets in stock. With a wide range of thicknesses ( .030″ – .500″ thick) and sheet sizes of 48″ X 96″, 60″ X 60″ and 72″ X 96″ as standard in .118″ – .500″, we can fill all your requirements.
Why you should use Plaskolite Tuffak Polycarbonate Sheet
Superior clarity, quality, surface finish, flame retardant and full USA factory technical assistance are just a few reasons. Buying polycarbonate sheets imported from somewhere half way around the globe, from an unknown manufacturer with little or no technical support can be very risky. Plaskolite (formerly Covestro/Sheffield) manufacturers this premium quality polycarbonate sheet right here in the good old USA, in Sheffield, Massachusetts. They produce this crystal clear sheet on the latest and most technologically advanced extruders available, and have several warehouses for us to get material quickly for you. Why settle for an unknown? Can you afford to ‘try’ the other guys? Step up to the finest quality, and yet still competitively priced polycarbonate sheet, get Plaskolite Tuffak GP Polycarbonate Sheet(formerly Covestro Makrolon GP) for your next project.Industrial Plastic Supply also carries the Westlake Zelux M Polycarbonate Sheet and Zelux W Polycarbonate Plate. The Zelux M is a machine grade Polycarbonate Plate from .375″ – 4″ thick sheet, and the Zelux W is a clear – Window Grade thick Polycarbonate Plate in the same thickness range. Contact us for more information on this thicker material. We also supply other manufacturers grades of Polycarbonate Plate, including, but not limited to: Ensinger Plastics, Polymer Industries (formerly Nytef Plastics), Roechling Plastics and more.Contact us for more information or technical assistance on Polycarbonate or any other quality plastic sheet, rod or tube. Call us at 866-832-9315 or send us a quick note here.
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