This is exact what all modern plastic do

intrade, Nov 12, 10:08am

intrade, Nov 12, 10:16am
i have work boots from my apprentice still usable. and i have new shoes never worn turn to dust in cupboard . The reason are the greenies all substances are banned that made it last but spray cancer causing roundup on food is ok. Thats the geenees for you. i also have a red box from 1970 looks like its 2 year old or so and a perfect white not faded plastic bathtop insert from 1982. while a fan to blow air and loads other things turned to dust from late 90s litterally to dust. cars start to do the same.
Or what do they call it "microplastic pollution."

comsolve, Nov 19, 9:38pm
Well, that explains something. I remember I had that happen to me a few years ago with some workboots. Never had that issue with any other footwear.

cattleshed, Nov 19, 9:42pm
Ah, no not all modern plastics deteriorate and certainly some are worse than others. Is it all of the Euro plastic that breaks down or mainly BMW? I know govt. regulation is behind it to some extent.

franc123, Nov 19, 9:56pm
Yeah it's all an EU mandated thing, a high percentage of the car MUST be recyclable or biodegradable. The manufacturers of course are quite happy making all this stuff out of these materials as it reduces cost and weight and naturally reduces the economic service life of it. Just more consequence of having far too many people and vehicles living in your continent.

poppy62, Nov 19, 10:15pm
Can't complain about their public transport system, which is well patronized. Where as we live in a country with possibly the highest incidence of "Rays" (various colours) that have a detrimental affect on anything left exposed.

poppy62, Nov 19, 10:32pm
You obviously sat around a lot doing nothing as an Apprentice. Those work boots back then were expensive lust like the jeans. Today you can probably buy 5 pairs of boots and 8 pairs of Jeans for the (then) equivalent price. Stuff that doesn't last keeps people employed. What would you do if there were 75% fewer vehicles requiring repairs. I suppose you could do "Shoe shine".

marte, Nov 20, 12:12am
A pair of John Bull Steelcaps would cost me $125-150 & $50-60 to resole & I would get 6 months wear out of the sole.
Good for 3 resoles, maybe 4.
That was when I was getting $155-$350 week.

Those above boots, yeah it was the 18 months spent in the box. Polyurethane does not like that.
I read that trampers often have this problem if they use their tramping boots only for tramping, once every 6+ months & what looks like a near new pair of expensive boots just fall apart part way thru a tramp & sometimes resulting in a rescue.
I picked up my ski boots by the buckle last month, it broke of fell off in my hand with hardly any pressure at all. Just the plastic breaking down, probably 30 odd years old & kept in the dark & used 5 times.

My Audi, yeah, plastic breaks down on 4 certain engine components & on wire insulation inside the headlights & fuel injectors ( heat )
Roof lining polyethylene foam does too, but it's happened on several later model Holden's that I have seen as well.

intrade, Nov 20, 11:02am
i have 2 plastic items that look like they are new or mostly a few years old.
and i actuarly still have my work boots from my aprentice . They are not fallen apart 1 bit rubber sole steal toe. = reason i did not wear them for longer they are quite stiff and have laces to tie making it time consuming to take off .
one item is a white plastic insert you fit across a bathtub as a handasin.
its still 100% white non brittle and non yellow. Mould manufacturer date is 1982 if i recall correct.
Another item is a toy box red not faded with a white foam pillow over-molded in plastic.
Guess the date of that?
http://iforce.co.nz/i/rwc0w4wj.w5p.jpg

cattleshed, Nov 20, 7:28pm
Poor reasoning! A through away mentality is detrimental in every conceivable way including a loss of satisfaction for the worker knowing that what is being produced adds incredibly to waste and takes away job satisfaction. These are just two ways. See how many you can think of.

hkjoe, Nov 20, 8:48pm
1979?

yz490, Nov 21, 10:10am
That explains why my motocross boots literally fell to bits on the plastic stuff. Good brand i bought second hand many years ago but in good nick & sat in the shed probably with a bit of sun during each day. Don't think i used them as liked my old ones. So just sat & crumbled. Modern technology eh! where'd we be without it--ummm.

kazbanz, Nov 21, 10:29am
I thought the whole idea with plastic products nowadays is that they as much as possible are biodegradable. stands to reason then that they will break down over time.

intrade, Nov 21, 11:00am
The problem is plastic now biodegrades in sunlight and not under ground. completely the opposite of what we actually need to happen. I spoke to a guy they built on a site where there was a dump in switzerland that was built 15 years ago and the dump was at least 30 years old= nothing dumped in there since 30 years . since its against the law to burry trash since about 1980+- in switzerland you would have to research the accurate date.
Anyhow he said there was nothing really there no longer So the stuff was probably burried 60 years in total including old plastics that are still as new as in my image posted , if not burried.

intrade, Oct 21, 4:45pm
#11 the manufacturing date on the boy is 70 that is 1970 that box is right now 50 year old . The white pillow is fake plastic leather covered foam is also as new inside still. as in if you push it down it springs like brand new foam.
there is no microplastic pollution from this as its not turned to dust in sunlight and humidity.