The Problem

A widely publicized plastic vortex concentration reportedly the size of the state of Texas floats north of Hawaii and the disclosure by scientist that this plastic is found in the stomachs of seabirds, fish, and sea mammals with proven harm will remain problematic for many years. One proposal is to take a serious look at reducing plastic in the environment especially the prevailing one-time- use commercial containers that are so prevalent. A current non-recyclable container is the 5 gallon vegetable oil containers (milk jug #2 plastic) found in large quantities behind local bakeries, deli's, pizza parlor, bars, and restaurants. The majority of these users will not take the employee time to drain them thoroughly which is a requirement from plastics recyclers in order for them to be recycled.

Even if a commercial enterprise was willing to drain them and attempt to recycle them there are three problems to having this occur. One problem is that employees often do not completely remove the foiled seal tab completely after removing the lid and merely punch out most but not all of the seal. This blocks the lower portion of the pour spout and can result in 1/2 to 1 cup of residual oil left in the jug. Since these jugs come in cardboard carrying boxes there is no visual sightings of the oil left in these translucent containers. The Second problem is that the jugs don't drain completely even if the businesses invert them on a drain trough because they are designed incorrectly to accomplish complete drainage of oil residues. When inverted on a drain board the two rounded corners aligned with the spout lie below the neck of that spout and form miniature sumps that detain the oil. If viewed by factory assembly line "efficiency experts" paid to correct obstacles and streamline production, these containers would never pass muster. They should be slightly redesigned to insure complete drainage.

Due to the massive numbers of these containers used nationwide little imagination is needed to realize the amount of unmitigated oil waste. When these oil residues, deemed a contaminant and render the containers disqualified for plastics recycling, again, we can easily calculate that the majority of them end up in landfills and detract greatly from the goal of Zero Waste.

The Third Problem is that Plastics recyclers, now overly cautious to not contaminate their stock, categorically eliminate even drained containers as a standard practice.

Research to convert these jugs to diesel fuel: There has been on and off funding for the conversion of this plastic by pyrolysis to diesel oil. This heating process is supposed to use the residual oil as a fuel source in the process of this conversion. Early reports are that the tight strands of the # 2 plastic take a substantial heat input to accomplish this process perhaps precluding economic viability.

One Possible Solution: The nursery and plant sales industry imports round, 3 and 4 gallon black plastic growing pots. If oil jugs could be mechanically and thermally altered to replace these pots, the U.S. could end the importation of these current industry standards and repurpose the glut of 5 gallon jugs now relegated to landfills.

The challenge to the Mechanical Engineer: A device is needed to enter the fill spout and to expand to support the top rigidly. Next a mechanically activated heated knife cuts an hour glass section out of the top removing the fill spout and the carrying handle in one action. What remains is two half circles raised above the sides that can convert to handles when reinforced by doubling over and heat bonding these remaining flaps. Next comes the mechanical heat induced cutting of oval hand holds into these opposing flaps. This last action provides reinforced carrying handles. Drain holes are easily provide by sharp heated probes into the container bottoms.

Won't UV light break down #2 plastic over time? Yes, and this is a consideration that has UV protection factors in the imported black pots. However the plant can't stay in either pot too long without becoming root bound. It is most likely to be transplanted to its permanent location before UV breakdown becomes a limiting factor to converting to oil jug plant pots.

Aren't oil jugs square and existing black containers round? Yes, the oil jugs would pack into tighter rows without the in-between gaps of round pots. The soil may be maintained warmer for earlier plant propagation and faster growth during cooler conditions by elimination air flow between containers.