Eli5 why are so few plastics recyclable? Why cant you just melt it down and reuse it like glass?
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Off subject somewhat but I’ve done a little experimentation with melting and shaping #2 HDPE by hand in a toaster oven at 350 degrees F. I’ve made some clave (click stick percussion) and plan to try making a walking stick in the big oven. There are a few people on YouTube with videos of people doing this.
Many plastic bags are also made of this. I braid them together and then melt them. Some are #4 LDPE, often it’s written in the folds of the bag.
If mass recycling doesn’t work, I wonder if there is any localized recycling that could work.
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