Circular Economy in Practice: Building a Simple Greenhouse from Recycled Plastic

Abstract

Reusing materials in multiple cycles is the key to achieving a circular economy. Recycled composite rods made from the mix of discarded fishing nets and car bumpers are proposed as a promising building material to construct a greenhouse. However, the mechanical properties of the recycled composite rods are different from their original materials, thus the feasibility for use in products must be verified through design, analysis, and implementation processes. In this study, we investigate the feasibility of recycling composite material through the force generated by the simulated eleven level wind blowing to the greenhouse. Static force analysis (axial tensile force, X-axis bending moment, and Y-axis bending moment) at the joints between rods showed that the bolt hole of the fasteners would not break and bring safety issues. Dynamic force analysis results indicate that, under vibration caused by an earthquake or operation of the exhaust fan, there would not be a sufficient resonance at the joint to cause the greenhouse to collapse. We demonstrate that the construction of a greenhouse covering an area of 60 m2 is feasible.

Keywords

• circular economy
• recycled plastic
• simple greenhouse
• static force analysis
• dynamic force analysis