P-12 Potential Compact Fiberboard From Combining Shredded Corrugated Cardboard and PET Water Bottles

Corrugated cardboard and plastic bottles (PET) can each be recycled; however the current research is looking at recycling both cardboard and PET into a new combined material. The current method of recycling corrugated cardboard is to shred and recombine the material to make new cardboard. According to the Container Recycling Institute (http://www.container-recycling.org/), only 7.5% of PET manufactured in the US and Canada are recycled. The sheer amount of corrugated cardboard and PET bottles can be recycled for other practical uses. Corrugated cardboard and PET bottles, when shredded and placed into a 3x3x6 inch mold, can be combined together and baked in an oven under compression. The shredded PET bottles will act as the combining agent to hold the shredded cardboard in the shape of a compact fiberboard.