{"id":3353,"date":"2021-10-13T13:50:47","date_gmt":"2021-10-13T17:50:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wambamfence.com\/blog\/?p=3353"},"modified":"2021-10-13T13:50:47","modified_gmt":"2021-10-13T17:50:47","slug":"lets-talk-about-pvc-baby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wambamfence.com\/blog\/2021\/10\/lets-talk-about-pvc-baby\/","title":{"rendered":"Let’s Talk About PVC, Baby!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Vinyl. PVC. Plastic<\/strong>. When you hear these words, \u201cenvironmentally friendly\u201d probably isn\u2019t the first thing to come to mind. Well, here at WamBam, we are dedicated to being a part of a movement to change that. But before we dive into the fascinating world of recycling, let\u2019s get some general science out of the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is PVC? Polyvinyl chloride (try saying that 5 times fast) is the world\u2019s third-most widely produced synthetic plastic polymer. PVC, also known as vinyl, has inherent sustainability characteristics. The basic raw materials are made from rock salt and oil.\u00a0 It contains less carbon than most major thermoplastics. Because of this, it can be found in anything from construction materials, clothing, and you guessed it- fence! There is much more to it but we’ve got a link here if you want to know the nitty gritty:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.lenntech.com\/polyvinyl-chloride-pvc.htm<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Specifically, our vinyl fence is made from rigid PVC which does not contain any phthalates or BPA, which allows the material to be safe and stable. Now we have all heard about the impact plastics are making on the environment and we are not here to tell you the science is wrong, but we are here to say things can change for the better if we all take the steps to change them. Here at WamBam, we decided it was time to lead by example and start recycling our unused vinyl materials, instead of only donating them, to keep them out of landfills. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How is PVC recycled? Unfortunately, we aren\u2019t in the\nfuture yet where PVC will be part of our bi-weekly recycling pick-up, so we had\nto do our research. Luckily, there is a state-of-the-art facility right in our\nown backyard!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

JP Industrial has been in the plastics recycling game for\nover 30 years and knows a thing or two about PVC. We spent months collecting\nall scrap or damaged pieces of vinyl from our warehouse to be taken to their\nfacility in Salisbury, NC. Once there, the vinyl goes through a drastic\nmake-over. There are many steps that make up this process which depend on what\nthe recycled material will be used for. \nThe basic process is: sort, shred, wash, extrude, granulate. Once the\nPVC is broken down into a powder or pellets, it can then be used to mold\nentirely new products. Because PVC is so durable, this process can be repeated\n7 to 8 times- that is a 120-year life span! If recycled correctly, your great,\ngreat-grandchildren can play with toys made from your old fence; just imagine\nthe possibilities! <\/p>\n\n\n\n