Recycling Code System

thingiverse

These OpenSCAD designs empower you to integrate precise recycling details into your three-dimensional creations. For comprehensive information, refer to the publication: Emily J. Hunt, Chenlong Zhang, Nick Anzalone, Joshua M. Pearce, A Comprehensive Polymer Recycling System for Distributed Manufacturing with 3D Printers, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 97, pp. 24-30 (2015). The current limited resin identification code in the U.S. restricts completing the recycling loop on less popular polymers, which could hinder the environmental benefits of distributed manufacturing using 3D printers. This paper presents a solution for this challenge by (1) developing an expandable recycling code model based on Chinese resin identification codes that can accommodate more complex 3-D printing materials, (2) creating OpenSCAD scripts grounded in (1) to embed resin identification codes into products, (3) demonstrating the application of this functionality in various products and polymer materials, and (4) outlining software and policy tools necessary for widespread adoption. Overall, our research reveals that a significantly larger resin code identification system can be implemented in the U.S. to facilitate distributed recycling of polymers and manufacturing of plastic-based 3D-printed items. For further details, visit the MOST Research webpage.