Plastic hangers are a common type of clothing accessory used to store and hang clothes. They are made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, which makes them recyclable. Plastic recycling is an important part of creating sustainable products and reducing waste in our landfills. In this article, we will discuss how to recycle plastic hangers properly so you can join in on this activity!
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What are plastic hangers made of, and what is their purpose?
Plastic hangers are quite lightweight and are usually made of polystyrene or polypropylene. The plastic is often colored but can also be clear, like in the case of garment bags. The main purpose of using them is to hang clothes not to become wrinkled or damaged by folding over on them.
Plastic hangers are often found in dry cleaners, home closets, and department stores. The number of plastic hangers you’ll need depends on the size of your closet or wardrobe. One large plastic clothing hangar is enough to hang one jacket or shirt with slacks underneath it for a typical adult man’s clothing needs. A child might only need two smaller ones for their clothes, while an average woman may require six medium-sized ones (still lighter than wood).
Many people are concerned about what happens when they are no longer needed by us as consumers and are disposed of in landfills, but this could be avoided if we remember that plastics are recyclable.
How to recycle plastic hangers?
Are our plastic hangars recyclable? Plastic is a type of material that can be recycled and are 100% reusable. Recycling plastic items are critical because it helps to keep them out of landfills where they are non-biodegradable and cannot decompose in the environment for years. There are many ways you can recycle your old or new plastic hangers, so have no fear!
Do not use any metal prongs on the edge of the hanger – this will cause scratches when being turned inside out. You’ll want to cut off some fabric from around clothes pins if present (example: fold part into the center, then snip). Unpin clothes from the rod with help from another person; do not place hangers in a clothes dryer to remove the pins.
- Cut off any metal prongs on edge (will cause scratches)
- Unpin clothes from the rod with help from another person; do not place hangers in a clothes dryer to remove pins
- Remove as much fabric around clothespins are possible without damaging them
- Assemble plastic pieces for recycling, making sure there are no sharp edges or discolored areas that may have been overlooked. The hanger should be light and flexible when handled by hand during this process.
Advantages of recycling plastic hangers
There are so many advantages to recycling plastic hangers. Recycling gives up a chance for the earth to be more environmentally friendly; it also offers jobs and other opportunities to people who need them. When you recycle an item that is made out of plastics like hangers, not only are you helping yourself but there are many others as well, too, because they are getting paid for their work on this process.
- Many items are recycled, including clothes, paper products such as newspapers, or cardboard boxes which can all be disposed of once they have been through with and turned into something else instead!
- There are so many benefits from these processes where every company should take the initiative to join in to help make the earth a better place to live.
- Recycling is also good for your body because you are getting fewer toxins from it!
- The recycling industry provides lots of jobs and other opportunities, such as those at recyclable material processing plants doing their work on this process. There are many advantages worth mentioning in hopes that people will be interested in giving up sometimes do recycle more!
Collect plastic hangers from your home
The first step to recycling plastic hangers is gathering them up from your home. You must be only taking ones that are still in good condition because they can get damaged and unusable during being recycled into new products. The best way to gather all these hangers together is by putting a few on each arm or leg while wearing gloves to not contaminate any other part of the house with them (we recommend latex, nitrile, or surgical). Gather enough for one trip out onto the street, and then make two more trips after this initial go-around if you’re finding many more than what fits in this size bag.
It might take some time before everything has been gathered, but it will make the process easier. Now that you have a whole pile of plastic hangers, it’s time to go outside for recycling!
The second step is to take those piles out into the street and look around for any recycling bins (marked with a green arrow) or recycling dumpsters. All public places are required by law to provide these receptacles, so there should be plenty available near your home, if not on your block specifically but if this isn’t the case, then start asking around at local stores because they are usually happy to help someone recycle their old plastics. The third step is throwing them in one by one until all are inside the bin/dumpster and continuing onto another set of steps once finished.
Sort them by color, type, and size
Start with the pile of hangers by color. You are sorting these because it is easier to separate them into their piles based on what they are made of and how fragile they are. Plastic, clear plastic, a metal wire (bronze), and white or black nylon are all sorted separately so that you can put them in the appropriate recycling bins at your local household waste disposal center. Over time, you will get a feel for which colors are more likely to be recyclable than others and identify certain types like brass or steel where type matters when it comes down to whether something can be recycled.
Separate any brittle plastics from those still soft enough to bend without danger of breaking. Separate the clear plastics from the black or white nylon hangers if available in your local recycling center. Clear plastic can be recycled, while nylon cannot usually because it is a petroleum product and does not break down easily. The brass wire should also be separated into its pile so that you know to keep those for other projects at home where metal retains its usefulness longer than other materials might.
Once all of these piles are sorted by color and type, sort them by size again, making sure that larger sizes are on one side of the table with smaller ones on another before beginning to bundle together items of similar size for easier transport when taking out to your recycle bin near your house.
Plastic: separate clear, bronze wire, and clear plastic hangers are sorted together with the other plastics.
White nylon: these are not recyclable but are instead compostable so that you can dispose of them in your garden as needed or through a composting service if available to you.
Black nylon: these are also not recyclable due to being made from petroleum products but are still typically picked up by garbage disposal services for recycling once they have been set out on the curb next time waste pickup day comes around.
Cut the metal hooks off of each hanger with a pair of wire cutters or heavy-duty scissors.
After sorting them, you should cut the metal hooks off each hanger with a pair of wire cutters or heavy-duty scissors.
Sorting them out is the first step in recycling plastic hangers, but before you can recycle your old plastic hangers into something new, you are going to need to make sure that they are clean and dry.
This will ensure that no dirt gets left behind on any newly recycled products when made from your used plastic hangers. That way, it won’t be able to scratch up anything else it comes across during its lifespan as well!
Once you have the metal hooks cut off, you will want to get each plastic hanger wet. This will help remove any dirt or grime that may be otherwise embedded in it due to years of use from hanging clothes on them.
You are also going to want to make sure they are dry before continuing with the next step!
After doing this, take a rag and scrub both sides of every individual piece. That way, all traces of dust or other contaminants are removed as well.
Clean plastic hangers and remove any stickers or labels
For recycling plastic hangers, it’s best to start with clean hangers. Remove any price stickers or sizing labels, and use a dishwasher on the heat cycle if possible (watch out for metal arm hardware), or wash them in warm water using mild detergent are grease-cutting cleaner like Dawn Dishwashing Liquid.
Remove metal arm hardware from plastic hangers.
Metal arms are very difficult to remove without damaging the plastic of the hanger; they can often be removed by cutting off as close to the collar as you can get before attempting other methods.
Wash all clothing that came into contact with your plastics away from sunlight immediately, so oils don’t leech onto clothes while drying. Rinse well with soap and hot water before washing again. If there are any stubborn stains, use a grease-cutting cleaner like Dawn Dishwashing Liquid.
If necessary, remove dust from hangers with soap and water before washing them in the dishwasher or by hand.
Dry thoroughly to avoid mold growth on plastic surfaces and edges of metal arms. Wait at least 24 hours after drying clothes are washed before reusing plastics hangers for new clothing items.
Place the clean hangers in a designated recycling bag or box
You should place the clean hangers in a designated recycling bag or box. You are not allowed to place the hangers into your trash can, as they are recyclable and should be recycled instead of thrown away with other non-recyclable items.
If you are going through the trouble of washing plastic hangers before placing them out for recycling, ensure they are thoroughly dry before putting them back into storage!
Find a local recycling center.
A local recycling center may be your best option for recycling plastic hangers. Most are happy to accept any recyclable material and will provide you with a receipt that can be used as proof of recycling.
- Locate your nearest recycling center by using the search bar on Recycle Now’s website
- Contact them directly to confirm what they are willing to take, how often they are open and other details specific to their location.
- They are likely to open at least once a week.
- You may also need to pay for the recycling service before dropping off your hangers.
Transport your recyclables hangers to the drop-off location for sorting and processing
When you have finished collecting, transport your recyclables to the location for sorting and processing.
A recycling program may have a designated drop-off point, or you can take your hangers with other plastics to a community center that offers the free collection of these materials.
If you cannot find any nearby locations where they are accepted, contact your local waste management authority about pickup options in your area. It is always best to check before sending items through the mail for recycling purposes because some plastic hangers are not eligible under international standards.
To sum up,
Recycling plastic hangers is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and help the environment. Plastic hanger recycling can be done at home with some simple steps, but if you need more information or want to find an easier way to recycle them than sorting through stacks of clean ones on your own, we’re here for you! Click below for our list of helpful resources that will guide you through what kind of materials are recyclable in your area, how best to sort it all out, and where exactly to take it once it’s ready.
