Plastic garden furniture is durable, low maintenance, lightweight, affordable, available in a host of different colours and styles, but can it be easily recycled?
In the UK, plastic garden furniture is typically made from 4 different types of plastic - Polypropylene, High-Density Polyethylene, Poly-Rattan, and Poly-Wood - and they can be defined as follows:
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Polypropylene (PP)
This is a common choice with garden furniture manufacturers due to its durability, weather resistance, and the ability to mould it into various shapes. -
High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
More expensive than PP plastics, HDPE is popular with higher-end outdoor furniture manufacturers, and it is known for its strength, durability, and resistance to the elements, especially UV. -
Poly-Rattan
This is a synthetic material that mimics the appearance of natural rattan. It's a popular choice in our industry for its lightweight nature and weather resistance. -
Poly-Wood
A composite material that is made from recycled plastic and wood fibres, poly woods offer a durable and weather-resistant low-maintenance alternative to real woods.
All of these materials are suitable for outdoor use and can withstand the UK climate.
However, they will fade and can often become brittle over time when exposed to the elements. The type and quality of plastic used will determine how quickly that happens.
In this article, we want to look at what you can do with them when it is time to replace them. Can they all be recycled and what is the best way to dispose of them?
Can Polypropylene garden furniture be recycled?
While PP plastics can be recycled, it is very much like supermarket plastic bags, in that your local recycling centre will not always process them.
What we mean by process is that they will often take it, but they won’t recycle it. You will be directed to the general waste/non-recyclable section, and it will probably end up in landfill.
If they do recycle PP plastics, then in our experience, the recycling process will depend on the facilities they have and the condition of the furniture itself.
Many smaller local recycling centres do not accept large items like garden furniture directly, but the larger specialised regional recycling centres will handle plastics.
The starting point is to contact your local council's waste management department or your local recycling facility directly and ask if they accept large plastic items and polypropylene specifically.
If your local facility doesn’t accept large plastic items, then they will be able to advise where you can take bulky polypropylene pieces.
Some areas also have a bulk waste collection service where you pay around £10/15 and they will collect it from the front of your property and dispose of it.
However, it is worth checking how they will handle it before you book if you want to ensure it is recycled.
If the furniture is still in a usable condition, then another solution is to donate it to a local charity, sell it or even just give it away to reduce waste.
Alternatively, if you have the DIY skills, then why not upcycle it? Our recent What kind of paint can I use on plastic lawn chairs? article looks at the best paints for refurbing plastic and how to apply them for the best finish.
The downside of this type of plastic, if recycling is not an option, is that when you dispose of them through regular waste disposal they will often end up in landfill.
Not ideal from an environmental standpoint as it can take many decades to decompose in landfill!
Can High-Density Polyethylene garden furniture be recycled?
If you are considering purchasing plastic patio furniture and recycling is high on your wish list, then we would advise you to purchase HDPE over PP as it is easier and more widely recycled.
However, while HDPE garden furniture can be recycled, and it is one of the most widely recycled plastics, as with PP, the ability to recycle depends on your local recycling facilities and their capabilities to process large plastic items.
As with PP, start by contacting your local council or recycling centre to see if they accept HDPE furniture. We would be surprised if they won’t, as the stronger HDPE are similar to plastic milk bottles, so they are generally recycled.
HDPE furniture is often quite chunky, so the paid pickup service for bulky waste might be your best option if it won’t fit in your car.
That said, most of the larger regional recycling centres can recycle large pieces of plastic furniture and can break them down into a reusable raw material.
If your HDPE furniture is still in good condition, then you could also consider donating it to a local charity or community group, such as we do with the British Heart Foundation. You could also sell or give it away through second-hand platforms such as eBay.
If the furniture is no longer needed in its current form, you could also consider up-cycling it or even repurposing it into other useful outdoor items, such as plant stands, potting or work benches, etc.
HDPE is a highly recyclable and valuable plastic though. When recycled, it can be turned into products like polywood, plastic piping, and even new garden furniture.
Recycling helps conserve resources, reduces the demand for virgin plastic, and minimises our environmental impact.
Can Poly-Rattan garden furniture be recycled?
Poly-Rattan is a relatively (last 15 years or so) new kid on the block but much of the wicker-style garden furniture on sale in the UK is now made from it.
Typically made from HDPE or PP strands, the plastic is woven into wicker-style pieces to resemble natural rattans.
While they can be recycled, their recyclability often depends on the specific material and the capabilities of local recycling facilities to process them.
Some manufacturers use cheaper LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene) plastics too, which are much more difficult to recycle and may not be accepted everywhere.
What poly-rattans do have is that they are generally constructed by wrapping the plastic wicker around a metal frame, often a powder-coated aluminium similar to what we use for our range but often of a lower grade.
Aluminium is highly recyclable, so the plastic is often stripped just for the metal. We looked at the recyclability of our collection in our Is cast aluminium outdoor furniture environmentally friendly? article
The recyclability of poly-rattan will often depend on whether your local recycling facility accepts large plastic items or synthetic materials like polypropylene.
Most of the larger recycling centres (i.e. those with staff present) will accept PE or PP furniture. They can handle bulky items and will break down the furniture into recyclable components, which are then repurposed for other products such as outdoor decking.
One of the common problems with plastic wicker is it splits when exposed to the sun and rain. However, if your furniture is still in usable condition, then donating it to charities, schools, or shelters is a sustainable option.
If no recycling or repurposing options are available, you may need to dispose of the furniture via regular waste collection or strip the plastic yourself to recycle the frame.
However, this should be avoided if possible. For one it would be a messy job, and as the synthetic plastics used in Poly-Rattan can take decades or even centuries to break down in a landfill, just putting them in general waste is not an option we would recommend.
If you can, recycle through specialised centres or repair, donate, resell, or repurpose if possible.
Can Poly-Wood garden furniture be recycled?
Polywood, whilst more commonly used for decking and garden buildings/storage, is becoming a popular material for maintenance-free garden furniture that mimics real wood.
Commonly made from HDPE mixed with wood fibres, recycled plastic lumber is designed to resemble the real thing but with greater durability and weather resistance.
Since it's primarily made from HDPE, which is the same plastic as cleaning product bottles, milk cartons, etc, it can (as they can with the cap on) be widely recycled.
As with HDPE furniture, it is widely recyclable, but recycling options often depend on the facilities at your local recycling centre and the condition of the furniture.
Contact your local recycling centre to ask if they accept large HDPE items or your local council for a busy waste collection. Some councils have specific drop-off points for bulky plastics.
If the furniture is still in good condition, you could again consider donating it to a local charity or reselling it through second-hand platforms, such as eBay or Facebook Marketplace.
If you have invested in poly-wood made from recycled HDPE, it makes sense to recycle it at the end of its life.
Recycling or reusing is the more sustainable option, as it reduces the need for new plastic production, saving resources and minimising waste.
Our final thoughts...
While plastic recycling is getting better, it still has a long way to go.
The cast aluminium we use for our collection is much easier to recycle. It has what is known as infinite recyclability, in that it can recycled indefinitely without losing the quality or properties that make it the perfect material for garden furniture.
It has high recycling rates and the process is more energy-efficient than plastic, which can be more challenging to recycle. The big problem is the different types of plastic Each has its unique recycling process and limitations.
Plastic garden furniture is often contaminated by other materials, making it difficult to recycle. Plus, the process will often lead to a loss of quality in the resulting material. So while the furniture itself might be constructed from recycled plastics, disposing of it when it is at the end of its useful like is not always sustainable.
If you have our aluminium outdoor furniture in your outside space, then we would love to see a few photos for our Do Some Good charity campaign. You can tag us @LazySusanFurniture on Instagram or Facebook or Upload Here.
