Tarps are just one of many materials that can be reused or recycled. In an article published recently, two artists are reusing tarps for teepee-shaped sculptures. The artists, as mentioned in the article, are from Greensboro, NC, but they and their recycled tarps are now on tour. Trends with art have included recycled and reused pieces and, particularly in green buildings, reused and recycled materials have been incorporated into the design. In the case of tarps, the material often isn’t biodegradable and finding a better use for them, instead of having them sit in landfills, is beneficial for the environment.
The question that this article brings up is, with so many damaged tarps floating around, what do you do with your tarp? And how should you dispose of it once the tarp becomes old or damaged? Tarps can become damaged, especially those tarps that are outside during the year? The obvious answer is to put it in the trash but, in that case, the material won’t be used again and will stay unused in the environment. Other options for reusing a tarp include finding different uses for the damaged material. For example, if a tarp can no longer protect an object outside, find a use for it inside, such as using a slightly damaged tarp as a painting tarp.
In recent years, some plastic materials can be reused by being melted down and formed into other objects, such as plastic CD jewel cases being melted down and used for toys or computer parts. Polyethylene tarps, unfortunately, have not gotten to that stage yet so the next best thing is to re-use it for yourself. Some creative ideas for reusing a damaged tarp include making it into a Halloween decoration or using it to line a truck bed. Or, in the case of these artists, making damaged tarps into art.
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[...] be recycled. Rather than letting the polyethylene, canvas, or vinyl material sit in a landfill, re-use it as a Halloween decoration. Torn tarps are particularly useful in creating a spider web-like [...]