3D printing to recycle waste

A researcher from Victoria University of Wellington is revealing new ways to recycle waste in the Pacific using 3D printing.

The project began when Lionel Taito-Matamua, a Master of Design Innovation, saw firsthand the lack of education in the Pacific around recycling. “There is so much plastic and other recyclable waste in the Pacific,” he said, “and local companies, industries and people don’t know how to dispose of it properly.

“For example, landfills in Samoa are not divided into separate areas — paper, different types of plastic and organic waste are all mixed together.”

Taito-Matamua has now found an alternative option to repurpose and re-use the waste to produce useful items. He explained, “Once you separate the different types of plastic items from a landfill, you can shred them into small particles and extrude that through a specialist machine that makes the filament rolls used in 3D printing.

“The filament rolls can either be sold for use on 3D printers across the world, or people in the Pacific can start 3D printing their own objects, like souvenirs, household items and spare parts.

“This approach … creates jobs and incomes for local families. It’s the whole idea of creating a cottage industry through 3D printing and digital creation.”

Taito-Matamua has created 3D scans and models of various items, including shells and turtle skulls. “These also educate people about disposing of waste,” he said. “We can transform materials that are potentially harmful to local wildlife.”

As part of his research, Taito-Matamua identified the importance of upskilling the general public about new technology and digital literacy and believes that outreach into local Pacific communities is needed. He noted, “There is no point in us taking 3D printers over to the Pacific and establishing a system if locals aren’t the users.”

Together with his collaborative partners — Victoria’s School of Design, ^NZProduct Accelerator, Viclink and Te Ropu Awhina — Taito-Matamua has now created an outreach program called Creative Pathways. He goes into classrooms to give children the opportunity to interact with these different types of technology and teachers to teach through new learning tools.