Open-Source Recycling

#1

Post by pelim » Wed, Apr 20, 2016, 9:40 AM UTC

Open-Source Recycling
preciousplastic.com

Re: Open-Source Recycling

#2

Post by herbst » Wed, Apr 20, 2016, 10:04 AM UTC

While i nether have the room nor the time to do this, i love the idea. I also love the "Why" section of the website, so simply yet so mighty.

Re: Open-Source Recycling

#3

Post by pingec » Wed, Apr 20, 2016, 11:03 AM UTC

A positive thing for sure. But the hardest part is not the processing, it`s the sorting of different types of plastic and the washing phase if required.

Re: Open-Source Recycling

#4

Post by agumonkey » Wed, Apr 20, 2016, 11:26 AM UTC

Always wanted to do this, but I was afraid reprocessing plastics would release toxic fumes or hard to detect dangers for the average guy. I can't stand throwing things anymore.

Re: Open-Source Recycling

#5

Post by dzhiurgis » Wed, Apr 20, 2016, 11:52 AM UTC

pingec wrote: post #3

A positive thing for sure. But the hardest part is not the processing, it`s the sorting of different types of plastic and the washing phase if required.

How advanced are the sorting facilities? I assume they must use some image recognition and robotics already. Do they use deep learning yet?

Re: Open-Source Recycling

#6

Post by winterismute » Wed, Apr 20, 2016, 12:03 PM UTC

My wife was wondering whether this can be considered 100% healthy: don't you need plastic to reach a very high temperature to model it that way? Doesn't it start releasing whatever thing that might be carcinogenic or such?

Re: Open-Source Recycling

#7

Post by meapix » Wed, Apr 20, 2016, 12:32 PM UTC

winterismute wrote: post #6

My wife was wondering whether this can be considered 100% healthy: don't you need plastic to reach a very high temperature to model it that way? Doesn't it start releasing whatever thing that might be carcinogenic or such?

I was going to ask the same thing, this is worse than throwing in dump where it will decompose and hundreds of years.

Re: Open-Source Recycling

#8

Post by rootlocus » Wed, Apr 20, 2016, 12:36 PM UTC

herbst wrote: post #2

While i nether have the room nor the time to do this, i love the idea. I also love the "Why" section of the website, so simply yet so mighty.

I'm hoping to find some workshop that would share the tools and space (for a fee), but I have no idea where to look.

Making stuff out of garbage would make me feel like Tony Stark.

Re: Open-Source Recycling

#9

Post by herbst » Wed, Apr 20, 2016, 12:42 PM UTC

rootlocus wrote: post #8

herbst wrote: post #2

While i nether have the room nor the time to do this, i love the idea. I also love the "Why" section of the website, so simply yet so mighty.

I'm hoping to find some workshop that would share the tools and space (for a fee), but I have no idea where to look. Making stuff out of garbage would make me feel like Tony Stark.

I could see hacker spaces doing this, there is almost always room and a budget for new machines.

Re: Open-Source Recycling

#10

Post by ZenoArrow » Wed, Apr 20, 2016, 12:42 PM UTC

dzhiurgis wrote: post #5

pingec wrote: post #3

A positive thing for sure. But the hardest part is not the processing, it`s the sorting of different types of plastic and the washing phase if required.

How advanced are the sorting facilities? I assume they must use some image recognition and robotics already. Do they use deep learning yet?

You can use spectrometers to identify different types of plastic, e.g.

http://www.thermoscientific.com/content/tfs/en/product/micro...

Deep learning isn't required.

The main challenge is in sorting. I'm not sure how you could do this efficiently with machines that are as affordable as the Precious Plastic designs.