UFO’s are about turning trash into stuff... that’s not trash... and is actually worth something! so yeah we are turning trash in to money!...by magic haha! ok not magic no quite easy really...

How and why would anyone want to turn trash in to money?

..for your business or goods for your home, teach our young ones how to cope with the future ahead by revaluing what appears to be trash... something which is only trash when discarded - lets turn what we can into things we need - possibly superior goods at times! cool i know!

what is this?

A Ufo site would be equipped with all tools and safety eqpt needed to manufacture goods & products of limitless possibility... ideally we would find homes inside struggling malls and shopping centres...

Welcome humans! These little dudes are the urban foragers or UFO’s for short - we are an informal urbanite collective of Edinburgh Recycling Dorks. We must start with a thank you click on the thank you below to see our inspiration for this project!

We make products; pretty much everything we can make out of exclusively recycled materials foraged from the local community. We would love to hear from like minded ‘Rebel Businesses’ who are working towards a better cleaner world for future humans to enjoy - at the same time as making cool stuff!

High-density polyethylene, or HDPE, is a type of plastic that’s tougher and stronger and can endure higher temperatures than most other polymers. This durable plastic is used in a wide variety of applications, from transporting water to storing school books while students are in class. But those who aren’t familiar with this versatile material or who have had negative experiences with other materials in the past might be concerned about the product’s safety.

Waste electricals were also reported to be one of the fastest growing waste streams in the UK and the world.

With the UK throwing away 300,000 tonnes of electrical waste from households and businesses each year, the research highlights the potential for increased recycling of electrical goods as a means to address the UK’s economic vulnerability regarding these materials.

Instead the creation of jobs in a new industry sector, alongside reducing the UK’s CO2 impact by recycling these precious materials rather than mining for new materials, could together provide a key tool in the UK’s ability to move to a circular economy, the research found. If only mushrooms did grow on gadgets and stuff eh- that would be handy wouldn’t it!

The Global E-waste monitor 2020 reported UK electrical waste to be one of the highest per capita in Europe and globally.

The research found that 379,000 kg of critical and precious raw materials are found in waste electrical components and circuit boards, including gold, silver and palladium, and these are worth £148 million a year.

These are currently exported for treatment with some lost through existing recycling processes, the report found. The carbon footprint equivalent for mining for these materials is 128,666 tonnes of CO2.

The UK is losing at least £13.64 million of critical raw materials due to the lack of advanced recovery technologies in the UK, according to new research.

• IT equipment such as desktop PCs, laptops, tablets, mobile phones, screens, monitors and lighting were a key priority for recycling as they contain significant quantities of valuable metals.
  
• The majority of the overall economic value would come from precious materials i.e. gold, silver, and platinum group metals such as palladium, due to their quantity and market value. A smaller proportion of the economic value would come from other metals, such as tin, antimony and yttrium, which command lower commodity prices but were included due to their critical value to the economy.
  
• There are a range of technologies that could be used to recover the critical raw materials from waste electricals. Generally, these new processing plants would utilise more advanced alternatives to the current methods deployed by existing waste processing systems, to better target elements that are currently lost. These technologies are currently being deployed around the world, for example plants in New Zealand, Canada, Turkey, South Africa and Romania.
  

There are widespread concerns that any international restrictions that might limit access to these critical raw materials could cause potential spikes in pricing and disrupt supply chains.

This in turn could hinder development and utilisation of technologies incorporating these materials and therefore limit the UK’s ability to combat climate change.

Metals form essential parts of components inside products, from the gold-edged electrical contacts, to the memory chips and even the touchscreens.

These ‘Technology Metals’ (many of which are also considered to be ‘Critical Raw Materials’) can range from precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum, but also include more unusual and critical materials such as Tantalum, Vanadium and Yttrium.

Properties of thermoplastic include a relatively low melting point, resistance to chemicals, mouldable, flexible, durable, recyclable, strong, environmentally friendly, and an ability to maintain its molecular structure after being heated and reshaped.

High-Density polyethylene is on the opposite spectrum of LDPE as it is tougher to deform. Most have a translucent and milky white coating, but uncolored HDPE is waxier in appearance. Polypropylene has a flexibility that is bendable but will never break easily.

A thermoplastic is a class of polymer that can be softened through heating and then processed using methods such as extrusion, injection moulding, thermoforming and blow moulding.

High Density Polyethylene is a polyethylene thermoplastic made from petroleum. HDPE is commonly recycled and made into composite wood or plastic lumber. HDPE is a Type 2 plastic commonly used in making containers for milk, motor oil, shampoos and conditioners, soap bottles, detergents, and bleaches.

HDPE plastic is used in a wide variety of applications, including plastic bottles, milk jugs, shampoo bottles, bleach bottles, cutting boards, and piping.

HDPE

In a word, no. HDPE isn’t necessarily dangerous in its final form, once it’s been molded or manufactured into the container or product that it will continue to be used for until eventually being recycled. In fact, HDPE is frequently used for packing food thanks to its compliance with regulations set out by the US Food and Drug Administration. However, it should be noted that while all food-safe containers are made from HDPE, not all HDPE is food-safe.

HDPE can be dangerous during the manufacturing process if proper care and precautions aren’t taken. The dust or resin of polyethylene, for example, can cause eye irritation as can the vapors from the resin when it’s being heated. Individuals who are likely to be around HDPE while it’s being manufactured should wear adequate safety gear to avoid unintentional injury.

Using HDPE Safely

Given its high durability and resistance to most damage, HDPE has become a popular material for use in commercial buildings - products even come with a GREENGuard Gold Certification, making them suitable for use in areas where occupants are considered especially sensitive, like hospitals and schools.

And since our HDPE products are colored throughout during the manufacturing process, there’s no need to repaint, which helps to limit the amount of volatile organic compounds affecting indoor air quality. Not only that, but since HDPE is extremely easy to clean, there’s no need for cleaning staff to use heavy-duty and often harmful chemicals.

Commercial Applications for HDPE

Although HDPE can be used in a variety of applications, some of the most exciting uses are in commercial building design. For instance, HDPE is perfect for lockers since the highly durable plastic is resistant to dents and scratches. It’s also guaranteed never to rust.

In commercial bathrooms, architects are using HDPE bathroom partitions because they’re resistant to graffiti and bacteria, unlike traditional metal partitions. Other applications include shower stalls and dressing compartments, which provide safety and privacy inside dressing rooms and locker rooms.

LDPE (low density polyethylene) is a soft, flexible, lightweight plastic material. LDPE is noted for its low temperature flexibility, toughness, and corrosion resistance.

LDPE is widely used for manufacturing various containers, dispensing bottles, wash bottles, tubing, plastic parts for computer components, and various molded laboratory equipment. Its most common use is in plastic bags. Other products made from it include: Trays and general purpose containers.

Thinner resins and rigid applications use a tough material that is chemical resistant. This prevents toxins from leaching into food, meaning that LDPE is food safe. It ranks at a 4 on the recycling number chart. LDPE safety includes products such as bread bags, six-pack rings, and produce bags

lDPE

Polyethylene has been extensively reviewed by regulatory authorities and determined to be non-hazardous by normal routes of exposure including skin contact, inhalation and ingestionLDPE does not contain BPA, but as with most plastics, it can leach estrogenic chemicals. PP is used to make yogurt containers, deli food containers and winter clothing insulation.

It is a common myth that all lab plastics contain phthalate plasticizers in order make them pliable or flexible. Nalgene LDPE products are naturally flexible without the addition of any plasticizers, so there's no need to worry about phthalate plasticizers leaching from Nalgene LDPE labware.

LDPE must be recycled separately from HDPE and other plastic types due to its structural properties. It can be recycled into various products such as bubble wrap, film plastic, bin liners, compost bins, floor tiles, and more. LDPE has plastic code 4 and is accepted in most domestic recycling bins.

A general recycling machine would get LDPE film stuck in its teeth, causing damage to the machine and creating problems. On the other hand, special LDPE recycling machines can chew up the plastic into small pieces and then form them into pellets.

his plastic is considered to be relatively safe. The problem with LDPE is mainly an environmental one: It is not recyclable via curbside and other recycling program

What's worse, when LDPE is not properly recycled, it can take hundreds of years to decompose, which can harm wildlife and release harmful chemicals into the environment. Finally, recycling LDPE helps to conserve resources and reduce the need for plastic production, which has a significant environmental impact

Polypropylene has recently become a popular upholstery material for both interior and outdoor furniture. Its non-porous structure prevents stains because spills simply bead or run off the surface, and dirt, mud or other materials can be wiped off without staining.

Polypropylene (PP) is an ideal food-safe plastic that is used for processes that involve high heat. PP is regularly used for ready-to-eat meals, sour cream containers, yogurt containers, and more. This material has gained wide popularity for microwavable containers.

Polypropylene - DVD cases, karma demands i do something about the amount of these i am at least partly responsible for!

pp

ecause polypropylene material is so adaptable, PP can be recycled into many different types of products, including fibers for clothing, industrial materials, kitchenware and morePolypropylene recycling is important as currently only around 1 to 3% of PP is recycled in the UK. Recycling polypropylene from businesses and homes helps increase this rate and reduce the amount of plastic going to landfill. PP takes between 20 and 30 years to biodegrade, so it can remain in landfill for decades.

Pallets, bottles, jars, yogurt containers, hot beverage cups, and food packaging are some of the products made with this material. Polypropylene is also frequently used in the automotive industry to produce batteries, bumpers, instrument panels, interior elements, and door trims.

Polypropylene (PP) is usually considered safe for humans. It is considered the safest of all plastics; it is a robust heat-resistant plastic. Because of its high heat tolerance, it is unlikely to leach even when exposed to warm or hot water. It is approved for use with food and beverage storage.Manufacturing. Manufacturing PP fiber from polypropylene is a process with low impact on the environment—no toxic waste, no toxic emissions, no fluorocarbons and no halogens. Polypropylene is most commonly used for plastic moldings, wherein it is injected into a mold while molten, forming complex shapes at relatively low cost and high volume; examples include bottle tops, bottles, and fittings

Is it safe? Polypropylene, which is derived from petroleum, is considered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to be a safer choice than some other types of plastics. It's not known to cause cancer in humans, and it's less flammable in fabrics than wool.

1-6 but really only 2's, 4's & 5's

BUSINESS WASTE - save money, less stuff going to waste if your staff wouldn’t mind identifying some specific annoying waste production.

purity benefit…

We dream of a new age; where goods and appliances work. Like they properly work for ages and do not fall apart inside exactly 12 months etc. In this new age Our homes and our communities are not sold to us under shifty circumstances but instead from a local designer& builder who is doing a good job working for his own name and therefor we should have improvements on home life for many - no longer keeping up with joneses for the benefit of corporate greed...

these things are the metrics used by the UN to measure poverty & living conditions and thus getting goods built to last is winning the class and culture war - made with love locally within the community with as much locally sourced materials and will train their replacements - granular self employment of recycle makers - a smithy of the future if ye like. Some of us if born in the 80's or before would have had what we used to call ‘hand me downs’ as things we bought often lasted more than one life time... unimaginable in today’s market...where one must retain all receipts as the build quality is so poor and the market needs you to buy more. We think there are some things which ought to be purchased one time only, nearby not out sourced.

Thermosets

Elastomers

These ones are a bit of no-no for now but a fully scaled up UFO site would be able to turn over any recyclables really...

two chef’s hot plates with a compression unit - a vice on the corners basically.

Dead bikes - we want them...

Consult cops on bike removal - we could develop a system of lift and storage until possession changes.

Water, Vegetable Oil, ethanol - float testing all our plastic we are not sure about to ensure we never release any chemicals that are harmful etc.

Plastic bags. All of them melted together to form a barrier. Bags are perfect for melting and pressing with an iron. 180 degrees is where you are aiming for to get the heat.

Fresnel lense - use for heating and cooking day time…..

zero fuel cooking from focused sunlight onto a slate.

The safest plastic to melt is PP and PE because they are low in cyclic compounds and they are essentially refined wax.

PVC and PA are low in fumes but the contents are harmful to melt.

liquidity is a back wash for the mafia - goods reach the black market in huge bulk - loss selling of goods - the burning even of unsold products or returns should be the primary source for materials that have a raw value when processed or seperate goods

amazon & ikea call us please! 🙏

we will save you money!!

creating value from nothing. Is good but creating value from the costs of another business is a business to business. Cha ching situation!

To demonstrate the safety of working with these goods in this way - we hope to have our workshop in a retail unit in OCEAN TERMINAL by 2025 and be actively demonstrating techniques of manufacturing and working with recycling methodologies. Selling goods made here that are superior and recycled - yes!!

Hate is not welcome here. We’ll take your recyclables though