PRUSA Research has published an interactive world map with recycling stations for waste from 3D printers. For this purpose, the company has partnered with Precious Plastic, an organization specializing in small-scale recycling, to use its existing know-how and contacts. Using the “Prusa World Map“, the company wants to inform, connect and present regional waste processing possibilities. The map presents the locations of companies recycling from many sources, including those that produce their own filament from leftovers and waste.
PRUSA encourages users and operators of recycling stations to mark their locations on the map, so that anyone with a 3D printer will be able to find one in their area. According to the company, 3D printing waste is a valuable resource for recyclers due to its purity compared to traditional plastic waste.
Even though the most commonly used material on FDM/FFF 3D printers is PLA, which is considered biodegradable, PRUSA strongly recommends recycling it. However, the best solution is to avoid waste from the very beginning by printing sparingly. Thanks to the interactive map, Prusa wants to build a decentralized recycling infrastructure, dedicated to both individual users of 3D printers and companies.
Source: www.prusa3d.com