Ah summertime, hooking up the sprinkler for the kids to run through, washing the dog in the backyard, filling up the watering can from the hose. But after dragging the hose out of the garage, some of us might notice it has cracks, holes, or leaks. You can try to repair them, but if that doesn’t work, you might be wondering, “What do I do with the old hose?”
Unfortunately, the options for recycling are basically non-existent, because of both the hose material and its shape. Most hoses are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyurethane (PU), also known as #3 and #7 plastics for those familiar with the plastic resin ID codes. These are two of the most difficult plastic resins to recycle.
If you purchased a more expensive hose, it’s likely made of synthetic rubber, the material used to make tires and machinery belts. While there’s a great market (and demand) for tire…