geekhack Community > Keyboard Keycaps
Keycap leftovers - how do you recycle?
mk:
Hi Geekhack.
After you have kitted out your keyboard, how do you recycle the leftover SP/GMK/etc caps? Until now I have just sorted it as plastics, but after hearing about that some 3d printing plastics like PLA should not go into the other plastics, I am becoming unsure I am doing it the right way.
Can I still sort ABS/PBT/PC into plastics at the recycling center? Is this the same for all countries?
_rubik:
I grind them up for terrazzo floors and cafe tables.
TomahawkLabs:
--- Quote from: mk on Mon, 01 April 2024, 11:58:40 ---Hi Geekhack.
After you have kitted out your keyboard, how do you recycle the leftover SP/GMK/etc caps? Until now I have just sorted it as plastics, but after hearing about that some 3d printing plastics like PLA should not go into the other plastics, I am becoming unsure I am doing it the right way.
Can I still sort ABS/PBT/PC into plastics at the recycling center? Is this the same for all countries?
--- End quote ---
You don't. You place them in a plastic bag, then into a box under your bed/in your closet. I would never toss any of my keycaps. Mostly because certain sets are near impossible to find. A lot of SP sets were made in batches of less than a few hundred. Some under 100 sets total. To throw away caps would prevent resale (if ever wanted) or if you want to try a new layout.
The only caps I have ever contemplated tossing were Alps caps from boards I used to harvest switches from. Only the switch has value to me. But best bet would be to just ask the recycling plant by calling them .
Zeus501:
After a bit of research, it looks like ABS and PBT plastics are possible to recycle. However, you may need to send them to a specialized facility to recycled them.
I wouldn't recommend tossing the keycaps in case you ever decide to use them on a different board.
Findecanor:
--- Quote from: mk on Mon, 01 April 2024, 11:58:40 ---Can I still sort ABS/PBT/PC into plastics at the recycling center? Is this the same for all countries?
--- End quote ---
Here in Sweden, it is only plastic packaging that goes into recycling, and only plastic packaging has a Resin identification code on it somewhere: so it can be sorted into the correct pile.
Other things can be of plastic alloys that are not pure enough of one type of plastic to be sorted that way.
I have always thought that to be too limited. I want all plastic to be recycled. Plastics are such wonderful, useful materials, and the raw materials: oil, is actually a limited resource that we'd also want to limit even more for other reasons.
I'd offer them for sale: or rather, in effect giving them away but asking for a little reimbursement for your time, postage and packaging for doing so.
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