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Enzyme breaks down single use plastic PLA quickly
- 1970-01-01 3y agoSo how long until I can recycle my scrapped PLA prints using my washer?
- doubled112 3y agoMy 3D printing scraps were the first thing I wondered about too. I 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?
- rj45jackattack 3y agoRecycling 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.
- jfoutz 3y agoI’ve looked at but never tried 2 things. 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.
- ortusdux 3y agoSee also: https://www.preciousplastic.com/ https://www.preciousplastic.com/ https://community.preciousplastic.com/map https://community.preciousplastic.com/map
- jfoutz 3y agoI remember looking at these machines a while ago. Seems neat. I don’t have the waste volume to support the floor space. Very cool project though.
- 1970-01-01 3y ago>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.
- bhhaskin 3y agoThere are a number of machines you can buy to do this. It's just expensive.
- leobg 3y agoCue 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.
- louky 3y agoAvailable on archive.org. https://archive.org/details/mutant59plastice00pedl https://archive.org/details/mutant59plastice00pedl Has some hilarious and also frightening writing. It's pulp fiction so don't expect greatness but worth a read for sure.
- jqpabc123 3y agoPLA is made from organic starches --- not hydrocarbons. So it is not surprising that it can be broken down easily.
- tycoon666 3y agoDon't think PLA is a good choice for coffee cups
- pajko 3y agoBut it's good enough for beverages: https://plabottles.eu/ https://plabottles.eu/
- cassianoleal 3y agoThe problem with PLA for coffee (and other hot beverages) is that it starts to get mushy at ~40oC and by 60oC it will likely melt completely.
- RecycledEle 3y agoI expect this may be used like Agent Orange was, but to destroy the enemy's cheaper 3D printed items.