Clark Tanks

Manufacturer
Bathurst NSW
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from Don Matthews
to info-moama@clarktanks.com.au
Oct 16, 2008
Recycling spent poly tank
mailed-by gmail.com

Dear Clark Tanks,

I notice you manufacture poly rainwater tanks and wondered if you could help me.I am wanting to buy a poly tank but would like to know if it can be recycled when it eventually is broken down by sunlight. I would like to think I was doing the right thing by the environment in buying a tank which can be recycled at the end of its life.

Thanks for your help

Don Matthews

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from David Pope
"donmatthews7@gmail.com"
Oct 16, 2008
subject RECYCLE
mailed-by awspl.com.au

Don,

Yes they do recycle poly, the problem being it is now produced with UV protection and we expect the tanks to last approx 40 years before they break down..

Regards,

David Pope
Sales Manager (Southern Region)
CLARK TANKS (MOAMA)

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from Don Matthews
to David Pope DPope@awspl.com.au
Oct 23, 2008
subject Re: RECYCLE
mailed-by gmail.com

Dear David,

Thanks for your reply but I am having a problem with your statement "Yes they do recycle poly". I have some further questions. Perhaps you can help me sort this out?

Sunlight eventually breaks down plastic making it brittle and lose all its strength. The long-chain polymer molecules which allow plastic to be moulded and give it its strength and rigidity are ruptured by UV light and no amount of added UV stabilizers will eventually prevent this chemical degradation process from occurring. Essentially the plastic disintegrates and loses all its properties. As a result I don't see how it is possible to then remould it into other products. Is the correct? (QUESTION 1)


Would I be correct in saying that any current recycling of polyethylene only involves clean plastic such as factory scraps, seconds etc and not fully UV degraded spent plastic ? (QUESTION 2)


If I am not correct (and I am more than happy to be put right on this) and fully UV degraded plastic is actually being remoulded what evidence is there to support this? What process is being used and what products is the spent plastic being turned into? (QUESTION 3)

Why I am concerned is that in the not-too-distant future millions of spent tanks will be lying around waiting to be disposed of. If the problem of their recycling is not resolved we are likely to have a major environmental pollution problem on our hands.

Could you please respond to these three questions or pass them on to anyone in your organisation who can, or alternatively direct me to someone who can.

Thanks

Don Matthews

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