Hard plastics

Introduction

There are many different types of hard plastics we use every day, but most of these are derived from crude oil. Common plastics include polyethylene (PE) used for bottles, jars and furniture (see ECOStep design entry Green Step), polystyrene used for disposable food containers and plastic tableware, PVC used in pipes and window frames (see ECOStep design entry Greece) and poly-carbonates used for CD’s (see ECOStep design entry Los Diablos). Many of these are recyclable, but not every country has the infrastructure to separately collect and recycle them.

As discussed in (STRAWS) plastics have made modern life possible but have also created massive environmental challenges.

Upcycling Plastic Fittings – EcoStep Design Competition entry

Precious Plastic, a company created by a young designer from the Netherlands, offers a range of DIY devices making it possible to recycle plastic oneself.

Alice, Product Designer at the Atelier D’éco Solidaire in Bordeaux.

How a Cinema/Bar could make recycling?

Remoulding Plastic – EcoStep Design Competition entry

Mosaics from CDs – EcoStep Design Competition entry

In 2018, we live in a world where information became more and more digitized. CDs and DVDs are less sold and often threw in the garbage. In a society where Netflix, Spotify and Deezer are kings, the CDs are just waste. In 2025, we think that this will be more a reality than never and the extinction of the use of CDs. Because of that and because of the plastic composition of CDs they will not be recycled well and often thrown in the garbage, as it is today. But to us, the CDs can be more. More useful, and poetic

Remoulding Plastic – EcoStep Design Competition entry

Melting and Remoulding hard plastics with Al Ikram