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Sticker / glue on plastic
This topic contains 5 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by 
Hi !
I make this topic to know if I can leave the sticker or glue on plastic ? (like on the picture below)
Does it depends of the type of the plastic ? (I saw that it’s bad on PET bottle)
So if it’s bad, I’d like to know your advices to remove them !
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I recently saw on TV that large recycling companies wash the plastic in hot caustic soda solution (NaOH). That softens the glue, and labels. Then the continuing rubbing action in the wash lifts them off. Those then get washed away with other dirt in the rinsing. I’ve not yet tried this myself. So far, with the small quantities of plastic I am using, I have simply cut out the parts with glue or labels. But I am saving those, so when I have more time I can try the caustic soda method, & see if it works.
Heating up the label will make most of the glue soft enough to be removed with the label. Sign writers use this method and it works well. Hairdryer or heat gun.
Personally I’d advise avoiding caustic use. Being a galvanizer I know that caustic soda is very harmful to the environment and is a substance only to be used when a complete knowledge of using and proper disposal has been attained. I soak plastic in chlorine rich water for a day then sit in the high uv australian sun for a day and labels and glue come off so easily. Then put through a strip cut industrial paper shredder, this stretches the plastic loosening and dirt and ready for the final rinse , dry, and then through the pp shredder. Cheers
Hey @adrienluitot , The glue on those PET bottles is a Hot glue. Similar to the one used in the hot glue guns. And @tathata is right, hot caustic soda (NaOH) will get it off. But be very carefull with caustic.
To your question if its ok to leave it with the plastic, well it will just act as a contaminent. Plastic and glues dont mix well.
Hi!
I also wondered about the stickers and the glu… And i really don’t want to use chemicals (we already have too much, over here…)
I was wondering if a mecanical treatment could work? For example, the shredded plastic in a warm water bath, mixed with sand to mecanicaly”scratch” it?
And after a sand (yes, i am obessed with sand, due to where i live!) and charcoal filter to clean the water and start the process again?
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