As packaging designers, our practice is inevitably responsible for mountains of often unrecyclable garbage, and with plastic recycling in the US very limited in what types and colors and resins are recycled (pretty much only clear and white rigid PET and HDPE). I was interested in exploring new avenues of creating value out of a waste stream.

Plastic Recycling Machines:

Experimental plastic recycling machines based on the open-source plans by Dave Hakkens and the Precious Plastic Movement.

I spearheaded the build, fundraising, and community programming using these “precious plastic” machines. The plastic shredder, injection molder, compression molder, and extruder were built using mostly scrap metal, craigslist ovens, and inexpensive off the shelf electronics.

With the plastic machines we collaborated on projects as varied as making recycled plastic jewelry with 5-7 year olds, to wall tile installations made from recycled hardhats, to collaborative recycling demos at music & arts festivals.

Full List of Collaborations & Workshops:

Oregon Eclipse Festival 2017

A/D/O gallery in Brooklyn 2018

South San Francisco Dept of Parks 2019

George Washington High School 2019

Plastic Dome 2020

Hold Fast Japanese Joinery Workshop 2022

Exploratorium & Surfrider 2022

DPR Construction 2023

San Francisco Design Week 2023

As of 2024 these machines have been donated to Penninsula Precious Plastics, a great non-profit carrying on the spirit of the DIY open source movement. They welcome volunteers, tours, and collaboration in their San Carlos, California workshop.

Role:

Machine Build

Programming Design & Coordination

Project Team:

Ian Montgomery

Tom Kochtitzky

With many thanks to: Jenny Lee, Robert Zakarian, Marc Rosen, Michael Cosman, Adam Apostolos, Cain Czopek, Chloe Pavlovich, Tasha Westbrook, Eric O’Toole, Phil Torchio, Michael Macris, David Schick

Early Creations: