Reeds Spring Students Learn Real-World Chemistry Lesson

Reeds Spring High School chemistry students are attempting to solve a real-world problem by finding new uses for old plastic water bottles.

“Basically what we’re doing is taking plastic water bottles that we collect from around the school in a recycling bin and then we melt it down with cooking oil and borax laundry detergent,” said junior Marrin McKoy.

That breaks down the polymer in the water bottle into pieces. After letting the mixture cool, it makes clay that chemistry teacher Richard White believes is biodegradable. 

“When you throw plastic away, there really is no away, it just gets moved to a landfill,” White said. “Then it just breaks down into small pieces and ends up in the ocean and in the food chain.”

Mr. White had his students mold the clay into objects.

“I made a paintbrush cup and a little box,” said junior Mary Sellers.

“Mr. White said I could make anything I wanted, so I got to make a dragon!” McKoy said. 

White said these types of hands-on projects really motivate students.

“The engagement just goes sky high and the students really enjoy that,” White said. “If you can make it relevant, you get way more work and creativity out of them.” 

White believes this project may be the first of its kind. He has not found any other scientific study that breaks down water bottles with cooking oil and laundry detergent.

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Photo Caption: An RSHS chemistry student molds melted plastic as part of a lesson about finding new uses for used water bottles.