Recycling PLA from 3D prints exists, without the bio part. I buy filament from a local supplier that recycles failed or unused prints into pellets, then rolls of filament.
1, pla melts at about the same temperature as paraffin, people have used candle making kits to cast skulls or whatever. Seems neat to me.
2, similar trick, put the pla between two cookie sheets with weights. Heat to melting. This gives panels you can cut and incorporate into projects. Drawer bottom or robot body , that kinda stuff.
>It can't be that hard to homebrew some sort of extruder to remake the filament, can it? Who needs tolerances?
OK, it can still be disposed of cleanly. As in, dump laundry basket of PLA scraps into washer, add magic PLA enzyme detergent, push "PLA Dispose" button, and all of it stays out of a landfill.
Cue the obligatory book recommendation, which I myself got from HN:
“Mutant 59: The Plastic Eater” by Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis, published in the 1970s. Explores the concept of a plastic-eating bacteria accidentally released in London, leading to a crisis as the bacteria starts consuming all plastic materials in the city.
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[ 5.0 ms ] story [ 64.6 ms ] threadI have a box or two of just scrap PLA because they said it was recyclable/biodegradable. Not much about just how specific the conditions needed to be.
It can't be that hard to homebrew some sort of extruder to remake the filament, can it? Who needs tolerances?
1, pla melts at about the same temperature as paraffin, people have used candle making kits to cast skulls or whatever. Seems neat to me.
2, similar trick, put the pla between two cookie sheets with weights. Heat to melting. This gives panels you can cut and incorporate into projects. Drawer bottom or robot body , that kinda stuff.
https://www.preciousplastic.com/
https://community.preciousplastic.com/map
Very cool project though.
OK, it can still be disposed of cleanly. As in, dump laundry basket of PLA scraps into washer, add magic PLA enzyme detergent, push "PLA Dispose" button, and all of it stays out of a landfill.
“Mutant 59: The Plastic Eater” by Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis, published in the 1970s. Explores the concept of a plastic-eating bacteria accidentally released in London, leading to a crisis as the bacteria starts consuming all plastic materials in the city.
Has some hilarious and also frightening writing. It's pulp fiction so don't expect greatness but worth a read for sure.