A new technology being developed in Sydney aims to tackle the problem of waste resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic by recycling used Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) into raw materials for 3D printing.
The collaboration between 3RD Axis, an additive manufacturing company, and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) has resulted in a process that can extract materials from discarded PPE and use them as feedstock in 3D printing. The recycled PPE could find itself leading a new life as components such as water tanks, fence posts, parts for machines – even parts on aircraft.
“Wearing PPE is now part of our everyday lives, whether we pop on a mask to jump on the bus or to visit the doctor, it’s part of living with Covid. But of course, it also creates the problem of increased landfill and waste,” said Andrew Cooper, CEO at 3rd Axis.
“What we’re developing, along with collaborators at ANSTO, is a useful solution to this ever-growing problem. Our goal is to use the raw materials in discarded or out-of-date PPE, such as masks and sterile wraps, as feedstock to produce the filament – or ‘food’ – for 3D printers.”
Recycled
Medical waste industry partners are working with 3RD Axis to simplify the collection and separation processes that can be implemented in hospitals, medical centers, hotels, and emergency service vehicles.
The collected PPE goes through a multi-stage decontamination process before it is melted at high temperatures and turned into a liquid form to create a thermoplastic filament. The goal of the project is to produce sustainable products and reduce landfill waste.
“The challenge is to reuse materials from the single-use economy and transform them into durable manufactured articles that have a longer life cycle as the next product,” said Gerry Triani, ANSTO’s leader in the Materials Development and Characterisation.
“The aim of the game is twofold; to reduce landfill and also create a product that is beneficial to both the environment and to the economy.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gpEZ3ZrWAs
Waste-no-more
Globally, up to 1.6 million tonnes of plastic waste are generated each day due to the pandemic, and 3.4 billion single-use face masks are discarded daily. The technology being developed by 3RD Axis also opens the possibility of recycling other plastics and materials.
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