People are also trying to get rid of dangerous microbes at home, especially when it comes to food packaging, plastic furniture and their children's bath toys.

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It is more malleable than the traditional stiff plastic used to make lawn furniture and plastic forks.

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More importantly, they keep acquiring stuff that cannot be consumed and never rots or rusts: plastic toys, metal garden furniture, porcelain knick-knacks.

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What I was expecting was a kit with plastic materials for walls and furniture, a few decorative items and a lot of electronics.

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The scheme, officially launched in September, allows rigid plastic items, such as buckets, garden furniture and children's toys to be recycled.

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Laplanche whipped out his plastic (and paid 18% annual interest) to cover the cost of computers and furniture early on.

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