A local future for plastic waste

How can you reuse locally collected plastic and make new products from it, which you can then sell in the neighbourhood? researchers from the Smart Sustainable Manufacturing research group worked on a machine that makes exactly that possible. Yesterday, the plastic plate pressing machine was officially launched at The Hague University of Applied Sciences in Delft. 

From waste to valuable products

People who are at a distance from the labour market can use this machine to convert plastic waste, such as milk cartons, into sturdy plates. These plates can then be used on site to make all kinds of products, such as bicycle crates and chair seats. “They have to be really useful products”, says Jenna Coward, the driving force behind the realisation of the machine. “No unnecessary key rings or earrings that you throw away after a few uses. We want to create products that last as long as possible and are used in the best possible way”.

Sustainability and circularity 

Jenna grew up in South Africa and a few years ago she was looking for an affordable, practice-oriented engineering degree in a country that is seriously working on sustainability and circularity. Her choice fell on the Netherlands and THUAS. “South Africa is a country full of enormous challenges, so-called wicked problems. Education is largely geared to this. In my experience, in South Africa you learn to think in a very solution-oriented way. The structure of the Industrial Design Degree Programme, partly in The Hague and partly in Delft at the Smart Sustainable Manufacturing research group, was a good fit”. 

After graduating, in which she worked on a project about the production of 'funky' bicycle crates made from recycled plastic, her thesis supervisor Satish Kumar Beella asked her if she wanted to stay at The Hague University of Applied Sciences to work on a special project. “Recycled plastic products often start with plastic plates, from which you can cut all kinds of shapes. However, these plates are very large and are only sold in bulk. This is a challenge for smaller, local initiatives. This is how the idea arose here at The Hague University of Applied Sciences: can we build a machine that produces smaller plates made from locally collected plastic?"

Collaboration with Stichting Stunt

The machine is built for Stichting Stunt (the Stunt Foundation), a social enterprise in Delft that makes products from residual materials for (business) clients. Volunteers and people following a work-study programme at Stunt do not see waste as waste, but as a raw material from which new products can be made. Like Jenna's bike crates. "In our workshop, we all worked together on this machine. Colleagues helped with welding or helped us come up with practical solutions. “I'm not a mechanical engineer, so, in return, I'm learning a tremendous amount from this myself”, says Jenna. Workshop coordinator Wouter Nederlof was invaluable in the project. From welding and cutting out parts to machine painting advice. Oskar Imiolek, who simultaneously completed his master's degree programme at THUAS in Delft, supported the project with his knowledge of electrical components.

Open source accessibility

A second machine is currently being developed for thrift shop Kringloopwinkel Den Haag. The next step? Documenting the construction process and making it available as open source, so that thrift stores, work experience placements, or other organisations can start working with locally recycled plastic. “We gratefully made use of the Precious Plastic network, in which people from all over the world are involved in brainstorming about the development of recycling machines. Now we can contribute to open source platforms ourselves".

This does not mean that the project has been concluded. "I want to continue to actively involve our students in this recycling process. For example, as a designer of new products that are suitable for small-scale production. Thanks to the machine, students can now produce plastic prototypes much more easily. “Instead of just practising theory, they can actually build and test a product made from recycled plastic”, Jenna says. "Recently, students from the sustainable sports minor have dropped by. They are now able to make a prototype of a skateboard or other sports products from recycled plastic. This gives them a much better insight into the challenges in designing and producing a product. In addition, we involve business students in marketing these products and exploring new market opportunities”.

Teaching sustainability 

"With the machine, we can also set up teaching programmes for primary schools, which in turn we can involve students from the primary education teacher-training (PABO) in. “This way, children can experience for themselves how plastic recycling works and what you can make with it”, says Jenna. "That's a valuable lesson for the next generation". Jenna works with THUAS Green Office to reach and interest students in working with the machine and developing new products.

Assisted Repair Corner 

Jenna's enthusiasm for sustainability does not stop with the delivery of the machines. Her next project, the Assisted Repair Corner, is already about to kick-off. "This will be a place at THUAS where colleagues and students get help in repairing their belongings. We want to lower the threshold to have something made or repair it yourself and combat 'fixophobia'. Repair is often an option, but not always seen as such. We want to show how accessible it can be".

The Assisted Repair Corner will also be a THUAS research spot, where researchers can study what motivates or stops people from repairing things. "The mentality here at school motivates me a tremendously", says Jenna. "I came here to work on concrete, achievable sustainability initiatives and that is exactly what I am doing now. Step by step, we are making the world a little more sustainable".

Smart Sustainable Manufacturing 

This project is made possible by the Smart Sustainable Manufacturing research group led by professor Jenny Coenen. The research unit, part of the Centre of Expertise Digital Operations & Finance, offers students and recent graduates the opportunity to develop their research skills and gain practical experience in the field of circular production. More information? Please contact Jenny Coenen or Jenna Coward.