Waste PLA – Rafts, Supports etc

[Nick Clarke 3Participant @nickclarke3]

I was tempted to post this in the tea room, but here goes.

Having a tidy up and about to dump a carrier bag full of PLA waste from rafts, supports etc.

I know it is biodegradable so its impact will not be high, but if these were pieces of metal this size I would save them and use them.

Is there any purpose these could be used for? I don't think there can be, but if there is anyone who knows I suspect they will be on this forum.

[Nick Clarke 3Participant @nickclarke3]

[egaParticipant @ega]

Is the Port of London Authority reduced to using rafts?!

[JourneymanParticipant @journeyman]

PLA isn't that bio-degradable. I've made plastic clips that have been outside in the weather for a few years and show no sign of deterioration. Apparently it needs to be finely ground and mixed into soil to degrade, despite being made from basically corn starch. An interesting article on recycling PLA.

John

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

If you were a member of “3DCrowd”, you could be able to recycle plastic scrap to “Aura” (part of Hull University).

Only members of that group are eligible to take part, I will add.

[John HinkleyParticipant @johnhinkley26699]

There are a number of videos on YouTube which address this issue, one I've watched is Here

It looks like you could spend a fair bit of money getting some purpose-built devices to acheive the aim, or save money and do it with home-brewed kit in the workshop. Seems like a lot of faff to me, but then I don't have a 3D printer. If I did, I dare say I'd have a lot of failed prints to recycle!

John

 

Edited By John Hinkley on 28/07/2020 17:18:36

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Melt it, compress it into a block with a simple wooden mold, machine it into something. Basicly like reworking HDPE triangle symbol 2.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Some people shred their waste and extrude their own filament.

Not everyone is convinced it is worth the effort.

I may have a related 'snippet' relating to this subject in MEW 296.

Neil

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