Fight against plastic, it is also possible to recycle that of 3D printers
2018 is officially the year of the fight against plastic, the one that is flooding the world’s seas and, in some cases, killing the animal species that ingest it. Even the world’s most famous and oldest Grand Slam tennis tournament has banned single-use straws and plastic bags, as 400,000 were consumed last year alone. This means that at Wimbledon those who want to sip a Pim’s cocktail will have to do so without the classic straw.
And if in some cases it is enough to banish the “monster” of our time, in others we just can’t do without it. Just think of the world of 3D printing, the spread of which comes at a time when the planet is beginning its battle.
The polymers used in three-dimensional printers, however, are still difficult to recycle, but there is no need to be afraid. The University of Technology and Design in Singapore has been working for a long time on the study of techniques that allow the recovery and reuse of photopolymers used by 3D printers.
Scientists are also trying other materials that can adapt to 3D printing but without polluting effects, therefore harmful to the environment. Among the most “promising” materials is cellulose, an organic compound that is widespread in nature. Wood, paper and cardboard, in fact, contain cellulose.
But you don’t have to go all the way to Singapore to discover fascinating examples of circular economy from the world of 3D printing. In Turin, for example, among the desks of the University, an idea was born that did not remain so but turned into a project aimed at reusing plastic in 3D printing.
Three former students, Fabrizio Mesiano, Fabrizio Pasquero and Alessandro Severini in 2014 gave life to the start-up “Felfil“. Felfil is a filament extruder for 3D printers, thanks to which it is possible to prepare filament at home from plastic pellets or printing waste.
This is a technology that allows not only to make filaments of different colors and materials every day, in complete autonomy, and to save 80% on the cost of the spools, but also to contribute, even if only in a small part, to protecting the environment.
Thanks to the sensitivity and foresight of our CEO Fabio Cecaro, we at VMEngine have also chosen to become eco-friendly, starting with small gestures such as saying goodbye to single-use plastic, starting with bottles. We love the sea and rays of sun and salt filter through our windows and we put the water inside our VMEngine thermos.
Why use disposable bottles if a water bottle is “forever”?
