Gloss Paint from Low Density Polyethylene

Low density polyethylene (LDP) infuse the air with toxic fumes which have been linked with cases of cancer when burned. Many animals ingest LDP, mistaking it for food and die. When LDP is littered, it is carried by wind and rain storms and it clogs drainage and sewer lines. The current methods for managing LDP which include injection moulding, blow moulding and film moulding are inadequate. It is therefore important to develop more methods which can be used to convert LDP into useful products in order to remove them from the waste stream. This research sought to develop a method for converting LDP into paint for water proofing cement soil blocks (CSB's). A method for converting it into paint was developed. Effectiveness of the paint developed as a coating material for water proofing CSB's was established. Characteristics of this paint were established. CSB's were painted with the paint and allowed to dry in the air. They were weighed before and after submerging them in water at room temperature for 30 days. Their mass did not change indicating there was no water absorption.