Sea plastic test
RECYCLING
Andreja Palatinus, who runs a startup that collects plastic from the coasts of the sea and rivers, provided us with some sea plastic for testing.
We conducted a series of experiments, varying the quantity of sea plastic in the mix while using recycled plastic. The tested ratios were as follows:
30% sea plastic
70% recycled plastic
The resulting material was of excellent quality, nearly indistinguishable from 100% recycled plastic.
It is important to note that identifying the specific type of plastic from the sea is quite challenging. Despite our efforts to obtain only HDPE or PE plastic for this test, the sea plastic samples varied in composition, impacting the results. Thus, we acknowledge that our findings may not be entirely conclusive if used as a general reference.
50% sea plastic, 50% recycled plastic: We observed some irregularities in this mix, with the presence of bubbles caused by impurities in the sea plastic. The material also exhibited greater stiffness and was more susceptible to breakage.
70% sea plastic, 30% recycled plastic: In this blend, numerous air bubbles were present, and the material its plasticity.
100% sea plastic: This mixture resulted in a stiff material with considerable irregularities.
