You can recycle vinyl fencing to spare it from being sent to the landfill.
It also has aesthetic value and can beautify your garden.
You can recycling your vinyl fencing through several methods, but there is only one vinyl renewal company who will effectively and responsibly process it.
So, can you recycle vinyl fencing? The short answer is yes, you can recycle vinyl fencing; however, it is kind of complicated.
Let’s discuss more details now.
Can You Recycle Vinyl Fencing?
Contents
Vinyl fence is made primarily of PVC and is more complicated than other plastics you can recycle.
Returning waste material to a manufacturer, on the other hand, is not technically recycling.
Vinyl fence material that has reached the end of its useful life is typically sent to a disposal facility and is crushed into large pieces.
Taking leftover materials to the homeowner cleanup service or landfill is not recycling it.
The easiest way to recycle vinyl fence with GreenHunter Technologies is to go to their site and answer a few questions about your vinyl fencing.
Once the company receives your materials, they send it out to a recycling facility that GreenHunter Technologies has a licensing agreement with.
After crushing your vinyl fence, the recycling facility will send it to the chemical reactor where it is mixed with the chemicals and heated to about 500 degrees.
Then it is pumped into groundwater at a depth of 400 feet where it breaks down into monomers and other chemicals.
The monomers are then tested for purity, and then they are shipped out to other facilities where they are made into other products, such as decking and flooring.
This is the safest and most efficient method for recycling your vinyl fence.
In addition to the benefits to the environment, there are also benefits to doing so yourself instead of sending your materials to a recycling center.
Can PVC Fencing Be Recycled?
PVC fence will decompose when it is exposed to the elements for an extended length of time.
Because some vinyl fence contains chemicals that could harm the environment, it is best to recycle your vinyl fence before it begins to decompose.
If you have any kind of fencing materials, such as your vinyl fencing, find a good company like GreenHunter Technologies to recycle your materials.
It’s also doubtful that they’ll ever need to use your recycled material again, so it may be better to send your recycling to a facility that recycles fencing materials as a side job.
In this instance, sending the materials to a company that specializes in recycling fencing materials should be the ideal choice.
This ensures that it will be put to its best use instead of going to a facility that might not have the right resources or machinery to recycle it properly.
Where Can You Recycle Vinyl Fencing?
The majority of vinyl fencing companies will not pick up your old vinyl fencing or other products if you no longer want them.
You may, however, be able to donate some old vinyl fencing to a group in your area that could use the fence for a garden bed or other similar project.
Virtually every vinyl fence manufacturer has created a recycling program for its product.
This is often a better option than going to a recycling center because the manufacturer is more than likely to recycle your material as quickly and efficiently as possible.
If there a more specialized company that recycles vinyl fencing in your area, you can contact them and see if they will accept your materials.
Some fencing companies, like GreenHunter Technologies, have a licensing agreement with several companies around the country that recycle vinyl fencing material.
Then, they send the material to GreenHunter Technologies’ chemical plants for re-purposing.
PVC Reuse and Recycling
Vinyl comes in many forms, and each of these forms has its own recycling process.
The techniques involved remelting the material, cleaning the product, and then re-extruding the clean material into different products.
Mechanical recycling is another option as advanced techniques allow companies to recontruct vinyl fence sections from recycled materials.
After being reduced to its smallest form, the pieces of vinyl fencing are reconstituted into new fences.
The cleaned particles are put through a shredding machine to produce very fine pieces.
After drying, these small particles may be sorted by color.
When this process is used, the same process can be used over and over again to create new plastic products.
These microplastics might find uses in asphalt or paint additives.
This is particularly dangerous due the recycled vinyl may not meet the same specifications as regular polyvinyl chloride products.
Feedstock Recycling employs a variety of techniques to reuse and recycle feedstock materials used to produce animal feed and pet food products.
These pieces are used to create new fences and window frames.
What Happens When You Recycle Vinyl Fencing?
The method is essentially the same whether you’re dealing with consumer-based recycling or industrial recycling.
Recycling facilities, on the other hand, will be unable to cope as capacity will reach its limits or problems will arise with energy generation and optics for a sufficient quantity of recycled vinyl.
This isn’t an issue for vinyl fence recycling because most fences last for decades and are typically replaced after a major storm damage or lawn renovation project.
Sorting vinyl fence and other plastics into color groups helps manufacturers improve their end products.
Everything that goes into the recycling process must have its individual identifier noted.
After selecting the vinyl fence that best fits your needs, the shipment is loaded onto a truck for transport to your installation location.
This will reduce the amount of space needed for your scrappers for sorting and collecting, while increasing the amount they can handle at once.
The powder is then melted down and mixed with other scrap to form the final product.
As a result, consumers are now able to recycle their vinyl fences through their local municipalities.
The molten plastic will solidify as it is shaped by the machine, and is later cut to the desired length and width using computer-guided lasers.
If the vinyl is recycled in proper fashion, the manufacturing process can begin all over again.
How Do You Prepare Vinyl Fencing For Recycling?
You don’t need to do anything to prepare any old pieces or any orange pieces for recycling.
Simply take it to a recycling plant and they’ll take care of everything for you.
If your vinyl fence is older and has been exposed to a lot of rain, mildew or dirt, you may want to clean it first.
This isn’t strictly necessary, but the cleaner your vinyl is, the better your recycler will be able to identify it.
However, if the vinyl fence is lightweight and has been exposed to water only a little amount (or at all), then this step may not be necessary.
This is owing to the fact the vinyl is waterproof and doesn’t absorb the water at all.
Also Read: Can You Recycle Wet Cardboard?
Can You Throw Away Vinyl Fencing?
No, and you can’t throw away vinyl fencing either.
In most countries, it is illegal for you to dispose of vinyl fencing in landfills or trash can.
It’s not even legal to throw it away in your local rubbish container (if only there were one nearby.
If you wish to dispose of your vinyl fence, you will need to contact your local authority or waste management service to find out where you can take it.
Remember that returning the vinyl fence to the manufacturer is another option you may have available in many locations.
Conclusion
Vinyl fencing is generally made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and is widely used in residential applications due to its affordability and durability.
It is, however, notoriously difficult to recycle and the majority of this material ends up in landfills where it contributes to global warming and water pollution.
A better option would be to use other fencing materials like wood or composite fencing which are typically made from recycled or renewable resources like wood or corn.
Choosing environmentally friendly options not only helps to preserve the earth’s limited resources, but can also help save money by reducing maintenance cost.
Finally , while most vinyl fence manufacturers offer recycling programs for their plastic products, it will be unlikely to find a facility that will take the materials away.
The best course of action is to contact a recycler who can pay you cash for the material or allow you to drop off the vinyl fencing at a facility where they can be reused or recycled.
