IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jwaste/v2y2024i3p19-353d1457787.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Polyolefin-Based Cladding Panels from Discarded Fishing Ropes: A Sustainable Solution for Managing Fishing Gear Waste in Isolated Islands

Author

Listed:
  • Zakariae Belmokhtar

    (Departement of Civil Engineering, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500, Boulevard de l’Université, Sherbrooke, QC J1K2R1, Canada)

  • Simon Sanchez-Diaz

    (Departement of Civil Engineering, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500, Boulevard de l’Université, Sherbrooke, QC J1K2R1, Canada)

  • Patrice Cousin

    (Departement of Civil Engineering, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500, Boulevard de l’Université, Sherbrooke, QC J1K2R1, Canada)

  • Saïd Elkoun

    (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500, Boulevard de l’Université, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada)

  • Mathieu Robert

    (Departement of Civil Engineering, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500, Boulevard de l’Université, Sherbrooke, QC J1K2R1, Canada)

Abstract

This study investigates the potential for recycling fishing rope waste from the Magdalen Islands, Canada, into sustainable wall cladding panels, addressing both environmental concerns and waste management challenges. A comprehensive characterization of the fishing ropes was conducted using various analytical techniques to assess their suitability for recycling. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) identified polyethylene (PE) and isotactic polypropylene (iPP) as the main polymers present in the ropes, with a composition of approximately 25% PE and 75% PP. The effects of photodegradation were evaluated through carbonyl index analysis, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), tensile testing, and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The results showed reduced crystallinity, a 20% decrease in tensile strength, and lower molecular weights due to environmental exposure in comparison with unused ropes. However, melt flow rate (MFR) measurements aligned with virgin HDPE and PP values used in rope manufacturing, indicating suitable processability for recycling. Panels produced from recycled fishing ropes exhibited lower flexural and impact properties compared to commercial alternatives due to the presence of mineral contaminants and voids in the panels as revealed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This comprehensive investigation provides valuable insights into the potential repurposing of fishing rope waste, contributing to the development of sustainable waste management strategies for coastal communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Zakariae Belmokhtar & Simon Sanchez-Diaz & Patrice Cousin & Saïd Elkoun & Mathieu Robert, 2024. "Polyolefin-Based Cladding Panels from Discarded Fishing Ropes: A Sustainable Solution for Managing Fishing Gear Waste in Isolated Islands," Waste, MDPI, vol. 2(3), pages 1-17, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jwaste:v:2:y:2024:i:3:p:19-353:d:1457787
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0391/2/3/19/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0391/2/3/19/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jwaste:v:2:y:2024:i:3:p:19-353:d:1457787. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.