A world-first UNSW-designed recycling facility will transform hard plastics found in items such as old printers and computers into filament or ‘ink’ for use in 3D manufacturing and printing.
Electronic waste recycler Renew IT has added the UNSW-designed MICROfactorie module to its national headquartered facility in Lane Cove.
It is the first commercial operation and use of the technology outside of The University of New South Wales (UNSW) Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT) Centre.
The SMaRT Centre works with industry, national and international research partners, and governments across Australia, on the development of innovative environmental solutions for the world’s biggest waste challenges.
The Renew It module will be officially opened by UNSW Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Attila Brungs.
Brungs said she was excited by the positive impact that’s come from UNSW’s research, innovation and collaborative partnerships.
The facility has already demonstrated significant economic, social and environmental benefits, so far keeping 50.4 tonnes of plastic waste out of landfill and incinerators.
“New jobs and revenue have also been created, and the technology is creating a circular economy where materials are used over and over again, maximising the value of our resources,” Brungs aid.
James Lancaster, Chief Executive Officer of Renew IT, said the technology is a game changer for his organisation, enabling a more efficient use of resources found in e-waste.
“Electronic goods are a growing waste problem and even though there have been some recent bans on allowing e-waste to go to landfill, that is where it often ends up,” said Lancaster.
Lancaster said hard Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) plastics which are durable, resilient and ideal for 3D printing, are found in many e-waste items but don’t have a market.
“That makes this technology is game changer in addressing that problem,” he said.
“If 3D printing feedstock can be competitively produced by recycling hard plastics, we shouldn’t be producing it with virgin materials and then importing it from overseas, where almost most of the filament in Australia comes from.”
Veena Sahajwalla, UNSW SMaRT Centre Founder and Director, said recovering materials from waste has a big role to play in the move towards a sustainable future.
“Many of the materials needed for our future needs are finite in supply, so using innovative technologies to reform waste into value-added feedstock for remanufacturing means we can also accelerate our sovereign manufacturing capability,” said Sahajwalla.
“Waste itself can and must be seen as a resource with economic and social benefits as we strive to be more sustainable.”
Almost entirely imported to Australia, 3D printer filament is made from chemical products derived from petroleum and natural gas, also known as petrochemicals.
If made locally from used plastics, 3D printer filament will reduce the environmental impacts from global freight.
Sahajwalla said 3D printing is becoming widespread, from schools to manufacturing facilities, with this collaboration an example of waste being remade into a valuable commodity.
“ABS hard plastics are currently recycled as pellets for remanufacturing, but this is very low value and energy intensive, selling at around $2 per kilo, so not a lot of it occurs compared to the amount of this plastic available,” she said.
“Whereas 3D printer filament sells for a lot more and so this solution is a high value solution delivering real circular economy benefits.
“I believe Plastics Filament MICROfactories have the potential to revolutionise 3D printer filament creation. I look forward to a time when 3D printing feedstock is sourced exclusively from recycled hard plastics.”
For more information, visit: www.unsw.edu.au/
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