Create a micro-plastic factory

https://www.shareable.net/bringing-the-power-of-plastic-recycling-to-the...

In a world awash with plastic trash, the complexity and cost of recycling plastic on an industrial scale remain a challenge, but one innovative enterprise wants to put the power to recycle in the hands of communities.

Precious Plastic has developed a scalable DIY recycling model that reconceives plastic waste as a precious resource. Founded by Dutch inventor Dave Hakkens, Precious Plastic offers an open-source template for constructing micro-plastic factories so people around the world can help clean up local neighborhoods and start their own businesses as plastic crafters. The site has step-by-step videos and technical drawings to guide people through collecting plastic waste, shredding it and refabricating it into useful items...

Hakken developed a set of replicable machines for recycling that can be constructed from basic materials and housed in affordable spaces like shipping containers. The enterprise shares the blueprints on PreciousPlastic.com so they can be downloaded, upgraded and used for free under a Creative Commons license.

The directions and process are straightforward and easy to understand. The machines include a plastic shredder, extruder, injection molder, and rotation molder. All can be built with components that are affordable, and easy to find, repair, replace and customize worldwide.

The website has a map highlighting recycling heroes around the globe working on inspiring experiments, quality eco-effective products, beach rescues and social enterprise projects such as one in Sri Lanka, where local women create products for tourists to buy.

Precious Plastic’s online bazaar showcases the array of products that can be made including phone cases, flowerpots, skateboards, clipboards, art, building supplies, clocks, jewelry and more, all from discarded plastic.

Very detailed, and all for free, from what I can tell! https://preciousplastic.com/en/videos/intro.html

David Trammel's picture

Seems this would be ideal, if you paired it with one of the Maker Spaces that are the rage in 3D printing communities. I've talked to several people who use those for small projects and handicrafts.