Is Snow Fence Recyclable? [And How To Dispose Of It]

As its name implies, a snow fence can help prevent unwanted snow pileups in certain areas. But can you recycle it when it's no longer usable? If so, how can you dispose of it properly? We researched the answers to these questions for your convenience and here’s what we found.

Snow fence is recyclable, but the disposal method often depends on the material of the structure. Generally, a reliable recycling plant should handle the scrapping of plastic or HDPE snow fencing. On the other hand, repurposing wood snow fencing is possible to transform it into other items, such as a clock or a backboard for furniture.

Be wary as using the wrong recycling method might increase the risk of harm to nearby people and animals. Continue reading as we talk about the proper snow fence disposal methods in greater detail. We’ll also tackle some ways to repurpose the materials used on old snow fencing.

Can You Recycle Old Snow Fencing?

You can recycle an old snow fence. A trash can to contain the fence and a quick trip to your local recycling plant are relatively sufficient to dispose of the structure properly. Keep in mind that using unwarranted disposal methods may bring harm to the environment. For example, burning plastic can release harmful airborne gases, increasing the risks of health complications for both human and animal life.

How To Recycle Plastic Snow Fence?

Take note that plastic snow fences generally have high-density polyethylene (HDPE) constructions. Special equipment and skills are necessary to dispose of and repurpose this material properly. Certain recycling plants possess these requirements to recycle HDPE efficiently.

Once brought to a recycling plant, professionals will sort the plastic snow fence to separate it from other waste products. Cleaning the material is the next step to removing toxins and harmful bacteria from escaping into the air during the recycling process.

The HDPE snow fence will then go through a shredding process, which will enter a furnace afterward. This procedure will refine the polymer, which will become small plastic pellets for remanufacturing.

Watch the video below to gain additional insight into melting HDPE:

How To Recycle Wooden Snow Fence?

Sending the wooden snow fence to the nearest recycling plant is one environment-friendly way of disposing of the structure. Another option is to repurpose the wood for it to become another item.

What Can I Do With An Old Wood Fence?

If you have sufficient carpentry skills, you can transform an old wooden snow fence into other items. Some DIY projects you may want to try are:

Wooden Clock

Wood snow fencing often uses slats woven together to create a barrier. These pieces should be reasonably wide to form a closed surface, such as that of a clock’s face.

If you wish to repurpose your wooden fence into a clock, the following guide will help you in that regard.

What You’ll Need

• Hand or circular saw
• Power drill
• Screwdriver
• Screws
• Wood paint
• Marker
• Clock motor
• Hour, minute, and second hand
• Wooden slats from the fence

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Use the hand or circular saw to cut the slats into 24-inch length wooden pieces.
2. Align the pieces on a flat surface and draw a line at the center of the makeshift structure.
3. Place half a wooden slat onto the marked area and drill holes in it.
4. Screw the slat in the middle to secure it in place.
5. Use a reasonably large compass to draw a circle on the wooden slats.
6. Saw the area outside the circle, which should reveal the base form of the clock’s face.
7. Install two more wooden slats at the back of the wooden clock’s face for additional stability and support.
8. Paint the wood with your preferred color.
9. Use a marker to draw the numbers on the clock’s face.
10. Install the motor at the back of the clock. Attach the hour, minute, and second hand at the front afterward.

Check out this clock movement mechanism kit on Amazon.

Backboard for Shelving

Reusing the slats of an old wooden snow fence is possible to transform those pieces into a backboard for shelves. However, you should only use slats that are still in fairly good condition. Don’t use damaged or rotten wooden pieces for they might contaminate the other components, reducing the shelving’s lifespan.

Once you have your slats from your old wood snow fence, continue this DIY project by following these steps:

What You’ll Need

• Shelving unit
• Power drill
• Screws
• Screwdriver
• Hand saw
• Wooden slats from the snow fence
• Wood paint and stain (optional)

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Lay the shelves on a clean and flat surface. Ensure that the rear side of the shelves is facing you.
2. Place the slats on top of the shelves’ rear side. You may add a few inches of open space between each slat.
3. Drill holes through the slats and into the shelves.
4. Secure the slats with screws.
5. Cut the excess wood with a hand saw carefully.
6. Paint and stain the DIY wooden backboard if needed.

Check out this multi-surface paint on Amazon.

What Are Ways That Recycled Plastics Are Used?

Recycled plastic material can transform into other useful objects to help protect the environment. Some products made from recycled plastic are:

• Drink bottles
• Food trays
• Carrier bags
• Car bumpers
• Flower pots
• Watering cans

Some industries can also greatly benefit from the use of recycled plastics. For instance, construction companies use repurposed plastic as building materials, such as roofing tiles, indoor insulation, and flooring.

How Much Does Garbage Removal Cost?

The average cost of professional waste disposal services is around $225. Junk removal companies may increase or decrease their overheads depending on the amount of garbage to throw away.

But property owners should expect to pay approximately $100 per 10 square foot of space consumed in the junk remover’s truck. For example, the garbage removal company may charge about $600 to remove and do away with an old snow fence from a lot.

Why Is Recycling Important?

Recycling can promote different benefits to the environment. Some of these advantages are:

• Reduce the need to extract diminishing raw materials from the Earth.
• Reduce the energy required to create additional products that may otherwise increase the size of landfills.
• Supplies homes with a relatively inexpensive way to dispose of items.
• Recycling helps create jobs, particularly in recycling plants and manufacturing companies.

Over 146 million tons of waste ended up in landfills in 2018. Also, the amount of garbage ending up in these dumpsites typically increases each year. Those properties harbor harmful substances that can also produce gases that promote diseases. So it’s likely that more people and wildlife will be at risk of becoming sick as these trash sites increase in size.

Some countries even took it upon themselves to reduce the amount of waste they produce. One example is Indonesia, wherein citizens can trade their garbage for free healthcare.

Also, Sweden is now a trash-free country as only about 1% of its household waste goes to its local landfill. This country has 32 waste management and recycling plants that also help in providing heat and electricity to thousands of Swedish homes.

Final Words

Property owners should recycle their snow fences using appropriate and environment-friendly methods. For instance, synthetic HDPE snow fencing should be disposed of with the help of a trustworthy recycling center. As for wood fences, it’s possible to transform these structures into other items to help reduce carbon footprint.