Can you recycle PVC pipe fittings?

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asked Dec 7, 2024 in Green Living by Quarterdime22020 (2,880 points)
Can you recycle PVC pipe fittings?

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answered Dec 7, 2024 by Ironside (2,980 points)
You can recycle PVC pipe fittings and PVC pipes if you have a recycling facility around you that recycles PVC.

However most places don't have any places that can handle the recycling of PVC pipe and PVC pipe fittings as they can be hard to recycle.

PVC pipe can be recycled although it requires specialized equipment and processes to recycle the PVC.

PVC is not widely recycled in the United States as it's  hard to recycle and not very cost effective.

PVC pipe can be both recycled chemically and mechanically.

Mechanically recycling PVC pipes involves grinding and cleaning the PVC into small particles, which can then be melted and remolded.

Chemical recycling of PVC pipes uses processes such as hydrolysis or pyrolysis to convert the PVC pipe into reusable components.

PVC pipe also requires the recycling facility to have specialized equipment and processes to shred the PVC, treat it chemically and collect reusable materials which can be expensive.

PVC pipe is also not 100 percent recyclable because some of the materials are not reusable.

PVC pipe is most commonly just thrown in the trash to dispose of.

Most PVC can be recycled up to 6 or 7 times and with a product life of 100 years, recycled PVC has the potential to last up to 600 years!

If you do put your PVC pipes and fittings into a recycle bin then it most commonly will just be removed and taken to the landfill instead of being recycled.

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