Performance products made with recycled plastics have to meet stringent performance specifications in Florida where a great deal of recycled plastic product testing has been done by the DOT.
Problems with recycled plastics usually occur because the processor does not do any inbound QC testing of the raw material before molding it.
Where does PLNI source its raw materials and what specifications do they publish for the raw material and the finished molded product?
Florida Specifications
dot.state.fl.us
dot.state.fl.us
SECTION 972
RECYCLED PLASTIC PRODUCTS
972-1 Description.
Recycled plastic products used shall be included on the Qualified Products List. For initial approval and annually thereafter, the producer shall furnish to the State Materials Engineer a certified test report from an approved independent test laboratory that shows the material meets all specifications herein. In addition, a one year exposure test in Florida will be required.
972-2 Definitions.
972-2.1 Recycled Plastic: Those plastics composed of post-consumer material or recovered industrial material only, or both, that may or may not have been subjected to additional processing steps designed to afford products such as regrind or reprocessed or reconstituted plastics.
972-2.2 Post-Consumer Materials: Those products generated by a business or consumer that have served their intended end use and that have since been separated or diverted from solid waste for the
purpose of collection, recycling, and redisposition.
972-2.3 Recovered Material: Materials and by-products that have been recovered or diverted from solid waste, but not including those materials and by-products generated from, and commonly used within, an original manufacturing process.
972-3 Materials.
The materials used for recycled plastic products shall consist of a minimum of 70% by weight of recycled plastic and shall be uniform in composition throughout the product. The products shall exhibit good workmanship and shall be free of burns, discoloration, contamination, and other objectionable marks or defects which affect appearance or serviceability. Only chemicals, including fillers and colorants, designed to inhibit photo degradation, biological/biochemical decomposition, insect infestation, or burning will be permitted to enhance durability. The use of sufficient additives to inhibit photo degradation over the lifetime of the product are required.
972-3.1 Fence Posts: The posts shall be brown, approximating tree bark, to blend with the surroundings. They shall have no cracking, chipping, flaking, peeling or splintering in the final product. The product shall contain no more than 20% voids, by weight, over its length.
972-3.2 Delineator Posts: The product shall contain no more than 51% voids, by weight, over its length.
972-3.3 Plastic Chairs and Bolsters: Plastic may either be reinforced or non-reinforced, but shall meet the following requirements for a working temperature range of 20 to 150ºF [-7 to 65ºC]:
Property Requirement Test Method
Maximum Water Absorption 0.1% ASTM D 570 (Section 7.1, using entire component) |
