What is this made of?

[Hermit]

Someone has to explain this to me. I mean, presumably the horse is already dead, right? and the fellow hasn't got the production method down pat, but glue made from animal matter has been used for millennia. Better than let the dead animals rot, don't you think?

[Brian Peacock]

Tune in next week, when Hermit will be explaining jokes involving tallow and ambergris.

[Seabass]

[Hermit]

Tune in next week, when Hermit will be explaining jokes involving tallow and ambergris

Meanie

[Tero]

Man made fibers are an assortment of things. Most are not made from petroleum. Polypropylene might be, as propylene is derived from petroleum.

Rayon is not really a "plastic" as it is close to cotton.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rayon

Nylon is not from petroleum.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nylon#Chemistry
there are parts that could be from petroleum
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adiponitrile which in turn can come from butadiene
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butadiene ... drocarbons

Polypropylene is quite versatile:
Olefin fiber is a synthetic fiber made from a polyolefin, such as polypropylene or polyethylene. It is used in wallpaper, carpeting,[1] ropes, and vehicle interiors.

Olefin's advantages are its strength, colorfastness and comfort, its resistance to staining, mildew, abrasion, and sunlight, and its good bulk and cover.

[Tero]

Polypropylene retains pigments, so it stays as it is when bought for quite a while. Because of its inertness, it is a rather safe material.
https://revolutionfabrics.com/blogs/got ... ene-fabric

It's not even flammable. https://firefighterinsider.com/polyeste ... 20clothing.

When it does degrade it goes to harmless materials, unlike DuPont fluorcarbons.

[L'Emmerdeur]

I didn't know that polypropylene microplastics are harmless. As of late last year, it appeared that nobody else did, either. There have been indications that polypropylene microplastics may not be all that harmless.

[Tero]

OK, less harmful than dupont soluble fluorocarbons.

The ones that are broken by UV light to tiny particles (not liquids) are likely all the same. But polypropylene breaks down by UV much faster than polyester.

Scratch that, then. I likely have only a few polypropylene items. All my bike jerseys (wife bought them for me) are polyester.

[JimC]

Most of the issues with plastics in the environment could be solved by correct disposal, single-use or not. (Although we should obviously reduce the use of single-use materials as much as possible). If plastics weren't discarded via littering and other routes to waterways and then the ocean, the problem would be vastly less. Re-use, recycling etc. are obviously the best, but even landfill is preferable to broadcasting the stuff into the general environment.

[Scot Dutchy]

Chemical propaganda is really good. Plastic does not kill, people who use it do.

[JimC]

Chemical propaganda is really good. Plastic does not kill, people who use it do.

People who mis-use it by irresponsible littering, companies that generate an absurd amount of plastic packaging and governments that don't support rational recycling schemes are all to blame.

[Hermit]

Most of the issues with plastics in the environment could be solved by correct disposal, single-use or not. (Although we should obviously reduce the use of single-use materials as much as possible). If plastics weren't discarded via littering and other routes to waterways and then the ocean, the problem would be vastly less. Re-use, recycling etc. are obviously the best, but even landfill is preferable to broadcasting the stuff into the general environment.

Plastics (and glass) will not be recycled for as long as it is cheaper to use new containers. The ABC's Four Corners program has broadcast at least three full length episodes on the way recycling companies fail to recycle much of anything. At one stage its reporters filmed one semi trailer after another taking loads from recycling depots straight to landfill sites.

[Tero]

Chemical propaganda is really good. Plastic does not kill, people who use it do.

People who mis-use it by irresponsible littering, companies that generate an absurd amount of plastic packaging and governments that don't support rational recycling schemes are all to blame.

I would support some reward for using non-plastic packaging. Cardboard package for foods with a waterproif thin lining. Close the top with cellophane so you can see the food. Cellophane is essentially slightly modified cellulose. It can't be recycled so just bury it.

[JimC]

Most of the issues with plastics in the environment could be solved by correct disposal, single-use or not. (Although we should obviously reduce the use of single-use materials as much as possible). If plastics weren't discarded via littering and other routes to waterways and then the ocean, the problem would be vastly less. Re-use, recycling etc. are obviously the best, but even landfill is preferable to broadcasting the stuff into the general environment.

Plastics (and glass) will not be recycled for as long as it is cheaper to use new containers. The ABC's Four Corners program has broadcast at least three full length episodes on the way recycling companies fail to recycle much of anything. At one stage its reporters filmed one semi trailer after another taking loads from recycling depots straight to landfill sites.

Certainly both government policy and public perceptions need to change to get things happening in this area. A judicious combination of carrot and stick, perhaps. Not something I'd expect coalition governments to do seriously, other than a little greenwashing at election time...

[Scot Dutchy]

We gave up on landfill 50 years ago. All rubbish here is either recycled or burnt which is used in town heating systems.
Popular way for covering them are golf courses. The old Hague landfill is now hilly golf course which looks ridiculous in a polder landscape.