Recycling Resin Bottles

[alternativeview]

Would it not behoove the environment, Delta Kits and all of us if we were to return the resin bottles for refills? It would enhance Delta Kits environmental status and I know I would feel better to not throw out the 5 empty bottles just sitting here. Any opinions on this matter?

[DryStar]

Are you talking about the 1.5ml plastic bottles or something larger? I can't imagine paying shipping to return these to be refilled, not to mention they have to be decontaminated and cleaned. I have no problem with recycling things but this may fall under the terms of a little extreme. JMHO

[alternativeview]

Yes, the small resin bottles. The post office has flat rate boxes starting at $4.95. That small box could hold at least 12 bottles. You wouldn't have to send them one at a time. Shipping for 2 bottles from Delta Kits is $8.95 shipping for 12 would only be $4.95. They are empty. Could we not use the denatured alcohol to clean them out for shipping and have Delta Kits procede from there? We clean our tools w/denatured alcohol and re-use them, why can't we do the same with the bottles?

[paulrsf]

My opinion -Recycling used plastic resin bottles, while a noble cause, would likely cause more harm to the environment than just tossing them. For one thing, you'd be using mailers, (most likely paper products, or worse, more plastic). Then there are more pollutants involved transporting the bottles back, (fuel, etc). I'm just sayin'.....

[Brent Deines]

I share your concern for the environment, and we recycle everything we possibly can at Delta Kits. I've given your idea a lot of thought and there are two main problems that come to mind. The first is that it is just not cost effective to clean, sterilize and refill old bottles. In addition to the initial cost of the machine to wash and sterilize the bottles we would have to pay someone to run the machine and pay someone someone else to haul away the waste water from the machine, most likely to a hazardous waste disposal site that would charge us a hefty disposal fee. Just the electricity and fuel it would take to do this would more than offset the environmental benefit of refilling the bottles, not to mention the fuel it would take to power the planes and trucks to get the bottles back to us, the cardboard box it has to be shipped in, etc. Keep in mind we only charge $.83 for the bottle in the first place so there is very little profit to work with.

In Oregon we recycle everything so I think it makes more sense to recycle your resin bottles with the rest of your glass products. Glass can be crushed up and used to make a number of other products, including more glass. It's an easily recyclable and very versatile product. Obviously you would want to check your local regulations to find out how clean the bottles need to be before you can recycle them, and if your local sanitation department will recycle that type and color of glass. At the present time I think that is the most environmentally responsible option.

I'm certainly open to new ideas however, so if I've missed something by all means let me know.

[Mr Bill]

One would imagine that glass which is melted and re formed would not need to be too pure, as the volatile contaminants would boil off quickly.