RECYCLING | imagine-that-3d

EVERYONE IS

A RECYCLER!

The plastic problem is crystal clear by now. If you are on this web page chances are you know this already

We throw away most of our plastic after a single-use. We get used to throwing plastics away and start seeing it as a worthless disposable material. This material quality, however, is just as good as it was before the usage. By recycling the plastic step by step into new products, we hope to show how valuable this plastic can be.

We aim to promote and make recycling technologies accessible. To do so, we develop low-tech and open-source technologies to valorize plastic waste and programs to recycle plastic into new goods.

These machines are based on existing technologies that have already proven to be successful as far as sorting, recycling, pyrolysis, extruding and creating are concerned.

Processes

Plastic waste

Once a plastic object has been used and discarded, it becomes waste.

When collected, plastic waste usually ends up in landfills or incinerated, and in the best-case scenario, recycled.

However they are left in open landfills or in the natural environment.

Sorting

Hundreds of different plastics exist. All are not recycled in the same way.

Sorting allows us to :

– remove non-plastic material (metals, natural organic matter, glass, etc.)

– sort the most common plastics in 7 categories. Each one of them will then be treated in a specific way depending on its physical properties.

We do not recycle PET and PVC as they contain toxic substances. They will be compacted and sold to specialized industries.

Sorting is done manually, waste objects are visually identified. A simple tool to identify each plastic-type to help reduce errors.

Shredding

This step sees all plastic waste broken into much smaller pieces.

We use a shredder equipped with rotating blades and powered by an engine.

Plastic is shredded several times until it gets small enough, then is put in a separate bin.

Washing

Plastic flakes are then washed in a big container full of water that is slowly stirred by rotating lames to get rid of all impurities before being recycled.

What’s left of heavy waste (such as sand, metals, PVC, PET) will sink whilst the recyclable plastic floats and can be picked up at the surface.

Drying

Considering the plastic’s humidity, it can become problematic when plastic is too wet as it can release some gases.

To prevent this from happening, plastic needs to be dried and to do so, the easiest way is to leave it under the sun during a couple of hours for a natural drying process.

Extrusion

Extrusion is a widely used manufacturing process in the plastic industry, and is the first mechanical recycling process.

The process begins by slowly heating all plastic flakes, loading them into an endless screw, where a dummy block is placed behind it, the ram then presses on the plastic to push it out of the die.

Effects of plastic pollution

Environment

An estimated one million birds, 100,000 marine mammals, sea turtles, and countless fish die each year when they become trapped in plastic or eat it.

Some plastics also act as sponges for toxins harmful for the marine environment.

Last but not least, Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalate are found in certain plastics, known to be endocrine disruptors that can cause damage to the foetus development.

Human Health

79% of plastic waste is accumulated in landfills or the natural environment causing water and soil contamination.

Also, debris accumulation in standing water increases the threat of diseases. At sea, plastic microparticules is responsible for the contamination of our seafood.