Circularity
Let’s make recyclable recycled
We have created an alternative circular chain for recycling 3D printed PLA: make recyclable recycled.
Although 3D printing is an innovative and virtuous technology, it presents some challenges related to waste management. For example, PLA, a material commonly used in 3D printing, is biodegradable under certain conditions. 3D printing waste, however, is not thin enough to allow effective biodegradation, unlike objects such as PLA glasses.
This leads to an important question: how to handle 3D printing waste in a sustainable and circular way? Unfortunately, the current answer is that if 3D printing waste is not properly sorted, it often ends up being incinerated. This means that a bio-based and recyclable material like PLA is wasted, with the loss of its valuable properties.
Our circular solution
It becomes crucial to look for more efficient solutions for the management of 3D printing waste. Furthermore, by adopting recycling practices and promoting initiatives that facilitate the collection and reuse of waste, a significant contribution can be made to reducing waste and maximising the use of biodegradable materials in 3D printing.
In addition, investing in education about the correct disposal methods for 3D printing waste and supporting research for the development of more environmentally friendly materials is an important step to mitigate the environmental impact of this promising technology. In light of these challenges, adopting a circular approach that considers both the potential and environmental responsibilities of 3D printing becomes essential.
Since our foundation in 2018, we have always tried to give our waste a second life whenever possible. Finally, in March 2020, we developed a recycling system that not only works for our waste, but is also available to other workshops and organisations that share our passion for sustainability. If you want to know more about our project, we have made un video to tell and see the story of our Velaskello product.
In March 2020, a circular economy network was born that collects and recycles the waste in our laboratory to make them printable again: make recyclable recycled.
Since March 2020 we have been collecting and recycling:
3.480 kg
of PLA
the equivalent of 1.740.000
coffee capsules
1.148 km
of filament
like Milano-Amsterdam
one way
348 ore
of granulation
like watching the Lord of The Rings saga 22 times
With these scraps we manufacture projects and our product Velaskello.
Progetto finanziato dall’Unione Europea – NextGenerationEU nell’ambito del PNRR, bando TOCC (Avviso DD n. 61 dell’11/04/2023), gestito da Invitalia.