Is there a way to melt plastic without releasing toxic fumes?
By flamez3r0
@flamez3r0 (319)
Puerto Rico
May 26, 2012 9:13am CST
Hello :). I'm planning on melting plastic to make some panels to cover a drain hole that runs behind my house. It doesn't need to be specially strong or anything, just that it last enough to avoid leaves and grass to go down and clog without me having to climb down there every month to clear it, and also heavy enough to avoid rats climbing up to my yard from it. I have the measurements, and all I need now is the material to make it. I decided to reuse some of the plastic milk containers that I had stored to use for potting plants, but I'm afraid of melting by directly applying fire since that release toxic fumes. Is there a way to melt the plastic enough to throw it into molds without releasing toxic fumes, or at least releasing less so that it would be less dangerous to do? Thanks :D.
1 person likes this
1 response
@PageTurner (2825)
• United States
26 May 12
Hello
I don't think that it's possible to melt plastic without releasing toxic fumes. The best you may hope for is how to control the fumes so that they don't harm you or others. I have heard that certain lasers help in less release of fumes, but I really don't know, and these would really only be for cutting, and not melting for the purpose you have.
Where do you plan to melt the plastic? If you're going to melt it inside, make sure that you have plenty of ventilation. You may even want to wear a respirator. In fact, you may want to wear a resperator outside as well, and make sure no one else is around when you're melting the plastic.
Do you think that covering the drain could be a problem with accumulated water?
2 people like this
@flamez3r0 (319)
• Puerto Rico
26 May 12
thanks for the answer :D. I was planning on doing it on the roof since its the place with the most wind. And about the drain, some of the people along its path use it, but they use pipes to deposit their water in there directly, such is my case too. The opening in the top was left behind because of laziness, since it actually serves no purpose at all. On the part that runs across my yard there is earth and vegetation around it, so no running water ever makes it there, and it just gets clogged by leaves and grass that falls there. Also, its a hole around 3 feet deep, so its actually a hazard if one is not paying attention. Covering it is actually the best I can think of doing. I could also construct a "roof" for it, but I don't want anything permanent since I could need access to it someday (although I don't know why yet, but who knows? :p). I also thought of using zinc wood panels, but they are more expensive (since I would get the plastic out of bottles I already have) and it would last less (zinc oxidizes in less than a year and wood rots in a few months). Its only around 18 inches across, so making the panels wouldn't be that hard, but I'm trying to minimize the fumes somehow before doing it since I live in a residential area and everyone around me is retired already so they never go out.
1 person likes this
@PageTurner (2825)
• United States
26 May 12
It sounds like a major hassle -- I don't blame you for wanting to stop it. It sounds rther hazardous, as you have described it. I think that melting the plastic bottles into usable panels is a fantastic idea. At first, I thought you were going to permanently stop up the drain by melting the plastic onto it.
If you are going to melt the plastic into panels, you could actually consider doing it inside, on the stove top, if you have a vent hood, this could help remove the fumes. I would still use a resperator and probably an additional fan.
If you do the melting on the roof, please be careful not to catch the roof on fire.
It is commendable of you to think about the welfare of your neighbors.
I look forward to hearing how it works out for you.
1 person likes this
