Executive Summary
Our Mission: To reduce plastic waste on campus. To educate others about plastic waste and recycling. To create a close-loop recycling system the UW Seattle campus. To inspire others to join the fight against plastic waste. Our first goal is to build a small, safe DIY plastics recycling workshop in the Maple Hall Area 01 Maker Space. The workspace will consist of four machines that shred, melt, compress, and mold used plastic, so it can be transformed into usable products, such as 3D printing filament. We will use machines already available on the market, as well as build the remainder of the machines using open source blueprints and online resources from preciousplastic.com. This project is designed to be cross-disciplinary, providing raw material to arts and science students for 3D printing, construction projects, and as a sculptural medium. Additionally, the project will generate research opportunities in the fields of material and mechanical engineering, waste management policy, sustainability, industrial design, communications, and business development. We will partner with students, RSOs, academic and administrative departments to grow interest and engagement among students, with an aim toward shaping positive impacts on UW's plastics life-cycle from purchasing to consumption to waste and recycling practices.