For people who have owned an above ground poolfor awhile, there will eventually come a time when you need to start replacing parts and components. When this happens, a common question that arises is “Are above ground pools recyclable?” It’ll be unlikely that you’ll be able to recycle every part of your pool, but depending on your local recycling program, quite a few of the components are, in fact, recyclable. In this article, we’ll go over the various elements that comprise a pool and their ability to be recycled.
Pool Chemicals
Pool owners may find that they’ve overbought some of the chemicals needed to run a pool and feel nervous about storing them past the best before dates. Other owners may have converted systems and still have chemicals sitting around that they can no longer use. It’s a good idea to get rid of old chemicals if only to keep them out of the reach of young children or animals. Chlorine and acids are probably the most hazardous chemicals related to pools and need to be disposed of properly. Recycling centers or landfills may be able to take hazardous chemicals or you may have to wait for a special day where the community is invited to drop off such items.
Metals
Metals are being phased out with newer pool systems, so as owners upgrade they may find themselves with materials to dispose of. The upshot of this is that metals are recyclable and some of them can actually be sold. Copper, bronze and stainless steel can be valuable and sold to scrap yards. Other types of metals such as galvanized steel are accepted by most recycling programs.
Vinyl
Pool covers, liners, lockable safety covers, and some pool sidings are typically composed of vinyl. Vinyl is highly sought after by recyclers and normally recyclable in most areas. You should be able to place it out for curbside collection, but if it’s too bulky you may need to bring it to a recycling center.
Polyethylene
Some pool covers and solar blankets are composed of polyethylene instead of vinyl. Polyethylene is non-biodegradable and may take hundreds of years before it breaks down and decomposes. That said polyethylene is highly valued by recyclers. The fact is that it can be much cheaper to manufacture a product from recycled polyethylene than it is to create it from a new batch. If your local recycler doesn’t take it, consider posting an ad for free pick up and you’ll likely find a taker in no time.
PVC
Polyvinyl Chloride is a heavy duty thermoplastic used for piping, pumps and filter housings and is typically recyclable in most areas. PVC is usually ground down into fine particles which can be reused to create new PVC components.
Now that you know about recycling above ground pools, download a buyer’s guide to learn more about our models.