Eco-friendliness sits at the forefront of priorities more so than ever before, and is it any wonder why? If businesses or individuals are able to make small changes to make the world a better place, there isn’t any reason why this shouldn’t be done. At least, that’s what we think at Diamond Windows Droitwich. As a result, we’ve employed the practice of recycling UPVC window frames once we remove them from customers’ houses.
It's safe to say that the world is dependent on plastic more so than in previous decades; after all, it’s relatively cheap to produce, durable, and incredibly versatile. Despite this, at the end of its lifespan, plastic is so seldom disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner. It’s for this reason that we’ve decided to do our bit and reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in landfill.
What Does the Process Entail?
Due to the growing concern surrounding environmental sustainability, “recycling” has become a multifaceted term. Recycling can mean reusing a product, using its materials to transform it into something new, or simply disposing of it in an eco-friendly fashion. Since window frames undergo wear and tear when they’re in someone’s home, it’s not quite as simple as taking the frame from one home and placing it in another. Similarly, we don’t manufacture our window frames in-house, meaning we’re unable to repurpose the materials of old window frames to create new ones. Therefore, we can improve our environmental impact by disposing of used window frames in an environmentally friendly way.
Why Are We Recycling UPVC Window Frames?
The time to start recycling UPVC window frames that we remove from customers’ homes is now. This is because UPVC frames are still a relatively new concept, meaning it’s not something we’ve ever had to think too much about previously. For instance, timber window frames used to be commonplace, so it was these that we removed from homes to replace them with UPVC frames. The popularity of UPVC window frames skyrocketed in the 1990s, meaning that properties built before then tended to have timber window frames. Since the 90s were around a quarter of a century ago, a number of homes are starting to see wear and tear on their window frames to the point that they require replacement.
Therefore, we’re replacing an increasing number of UPVC frames. Since plastic isn’t decomposable, when left in a landfill site, it will sit there for years on end. This simply isn’t good enough, making plastic significantly harder to dispose of than decomposable timber. So, we had to identify an area in which we could be better. This meant recycling the UPVC window frames that we removed from customers’ homes.
The History of UPVC Window Frames
Although UPVC window frames didn’t become commonplace until the 1990s, they were actually first produced in 1935. Since then, it has developed into a material with a wide array of properties.
The process begins with sodium chloride, and electrolysis is employed to obtain chlorine gas. Following this, ethylene is produced using natural gas or petroleum, which is one of multiple products in the process known as cracking. Essentially, the process combines liquid vinyl chloride, ethylene, and chlorine.
PVC stands for polyvinyl chloride, a chemical compound of hydrogen, carbon, and chlorine. It comprises naturally occurring raw materials, including common salt, natural gas, and petroleum. The U stands for unplasticised, which means the material hasn’t been softened by the addition of chemicals known as plasticisers.
The components of UPVC window frames make them suitable for their intended use. Since windows are exposed to the elements, unwanted changes have the potential to take place. For instance, in the absence of the right measures, UV light, rain, and wind can all have a negative impact on the appearance and structural integrity of window frames. Thanks to the specialised components, though, UPVC window frames are able to maintain their aesthetic and performance value.
UPVC windows first became commercially available in Germany in 1959, and some of these are still in use today. Despite this, the past few decades have seen the technology for producing these windows advance significantly. This means that better-performing acrylic-based modifiers have been introduced to create good-looking and long-lasting window frames. The result is a highly insulated material that requires next to no external maintenance.
Replace Your Windows the Eco-friendly Way With Diamond Windows
If your windows are in need of a replacement, then Diamond Windows Droitwich is here to help. With us, you can rest assured that your old UPVC window frames will be properly disposed of instead of simply being dumped in a landfill site. So, contact us to supply and install your new windows and even recycle your old ones.
We look forward to hearing from you soon.
