Dear Recycle Lady,
Do you know anything about fabrics being made from chicken feathers? How can that even be possible? Doubtful Reader
Dear Doubtful Reader,
Believe it or not, scientists in Hawaii are using chicken feathers to create a sustainable fabric known as Kertex. Chicken feathers contain a natural substance called keratin that not only gives feathers strength but also makes the wool-like fabric made from chicken feathers very sturdy and stretchy. Kertex has the look and feel of wool and can be used for upholstery, clothing and other purposes. According to the designers of Kertex, the feathers from two chickens can make one sweater. Americans eat about 32.5 billion pounds of chicken each year, and their feathers have been sent to the landfill. Now there is another, very creative option: clothing made from chicken feathers.
Dear Recycle Lady,
What exactly is plastic film, and what kinds of plastic film can be used for the Trex challenge that several local nonprofits are doing? New Recycler
Dear New Recycler,
Plastic film is a thin, soft, flexible sheet of plastic that will give when you pull on it. It is made from polyethylene (PE) resin. (A resin code classifies the film according to the density of the polyethylene.) Plastic films and wraps for packaging are generally #2 and #4 PE plastic film. Grocery bags are #2 HDPE or High-Density Polyethylene. They are recyclable, although they are not marked with a recycling triangle. Plastic film wraps used for packaging several like items together, such as paper plates, napkins, or paper towels, are #4 MDPE or Medium Density Polyethylene. These wraps generally have a #4 in the recycling symbol. A third type of polyethylene is a low-density polyethylene that generally is not marked; dry cleaning bags and newspaper bags come in this category. However, not all plastic bags are recyclable. This includes pre-washed salad mix bags, frozen food bags, candy bar wrappers, chip bags, six-pack rings, and any plastic bags that do not move when you pull on them. If in doubt about the plastic film being recyclable, throw it out. It only takes one or two such bags of nonrecyclable plastic film to contaminate a bale of plastic film.
The Recycle Center does not recycle plastic film; however, there are three Trex boxes at the Recycle Center for plastic film and wraps. There are also Trex boxes for plastic film at Amy’s Market, the Lewisburg Methodist Church, and the back porch of St. James Episcopal Church. All the items mentioned above are recyclable and usable for the Trex Challenge, but only if the items are clean, dry, and all receipts are removed. Trex gives charitable, church or community organizations a large bench upon completion of sorting 1,000 pounds of plastic film and pulling out nonrecyclable or dirty film that has been put in these local boxes. This may seem like a lot of plastic film, but most organizations complete it in a couple of months. If you know of an organization that would be interested in this project, please contact me. There is plenty of plastic film available for several organizations. Troop 70 Boy Scouts completed the first challenge. Since then, Trex benches have been earned by young and older Girl Scouts in both Lewisburg and White Sulphur Springs, 4-Hers, St. James Episcopal Church, and Lewisburg Elementary students. Bags of sorted plastic film are sent to Trex by way of Kroger’s returning distribution trucks. The sorted plastic film is then used by Trex to make composite lumber for decks, benches, playground sets and other outdoor items.
Good News: Tigers are on the rebound in India. According to The Week Junior, a new study has found that the population of tigers in India has doubled over the last 12 years. The Indian government has been working since 1973 to save the tigers and over 75% of the World’s tigers now live in India.
Have questions about recycling or interesting information about recycling? Send questions or requests to Recyclelady7@gmail.com. Dear Recycle Lady is sponsored jointly by the Greenbrier Recycling Center and Greenworks Recycling.
