Repurposing Plastic Waste by Art and Design at The University of Chester

REPURPOSING

PLASTIC WASTE C an we ex tend t he value o f pla s t ic wa s te?

CONTENT

2 C O N T E N T S

INTRODUCTION

RESEARCH

AIMS

EXPERIMENTATION

SKETCHES

DEVELOPMENT

THE STORY

WHERE NEXT?

REFERENCES

3 C O N T E N T S

How might plastic waste be reused for a long er lif e? 4 I N T R O

‘Around 70 percent of all the litter in the ocean is made of plastic’ and this ongoing issue needs to be improved for the future of our planet. Plastic pollution is a worldwide issue, with rubbish littering the oceans causing detrimental effects to marine life, the oceans eco-system and eventually to us. Even though there are schemes to try and reduce the plastic nightmare such as The Ocean Clean Up, the problem still needs assistance to try

I N T R O

and decrease the amount of pollution. Multiple plastic items end up in our oceans for example, plastic bottles, sachets and carrier bags due to people not recycling efficiently. Plastic bags we use daily can take anywhere from 10 to 1,000 years to decompose. Even though they can be reused their physical makeup and relatively low cost make them appear disposal. The purpose of this project is to create a new material from carrier bags which can then be applied to create a product. The objective is to help reduce the amount of plastic waste that is littering oceans and landfills by providing a solution for what to do with the waste. Hopefully people’s perception of carrier bags will be altered but also, they will see a value in their discarded waste.

Figure One: Carrier Bags

RECYCLE.REPURPOSE

REUSING PROCESSES

6 R E S E A R C H

MELTING HDPE

SHEET FORMING

MARBLE BLOCK

“Using carrier bags to create a solid

“Fusing old plastic bags together to

“Creating

block of material.”

create thick sheets”

marbled

blocks

from

recycled bags .”

1. Cut the plastic into long strips.

1. Cut the plastic bags into sheets by

2. Lay a piece of greaseproof onto the

removing the handles and the end

shredding them or cutting by hand

Prepare

the

plastic

bags

panini press, then lay the plastic and

seems.

however leave some uncut.

finally another piece of greaseproof.

2. Place a piece of greaseproof paper

2. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

3. Heat the plastic until it becomes

onto a hard heat resistance surface.

3. Put the uncut plastic bags into a

malleable and using gloves twist the

3. Layer two of the plastic sheets

large bowl and place into the oven for

material (this creates the marble

together and finish with another piece

5 minutes.

effect).

of greaseproof.

4. Remove the bowl and mix. Add in

4. Repeat this step 2-3 times to ensure

4. Iron on top of the greaseproof

the plastic bag strips, mix and place

the material has bonded.

paper for around 15 seconds (or until

back into the oven.

5. Place into a mould and clamp

the sheets are bonded)

5. Repeat this step until there is a

to press the material. Leave for 20

5. Keep repeating the process until

large enough quantity.

minutes then release.

the desired thickness.

6. Place the dough inside of the mould and press for 1-2 hours.

F i g u r e Tw o : C a r r i e r b a g r e c y c l i n g d i a g r a m

7. Once cooled, remove from the mould. Cut off edges and buff to

CARRIER BAGS

Worldwide,

around

two

million

reveal the marble design.

plastic bags are used every minute5 and on average a plastic bag is only

TIPS AND TRICKS

used for twelve minutes6. It can take anywhere from 10 to a 1000 years for a plastic bag to degrade in landfill7.

Carrier bags are created by using Furthermore, it either ends its days in different combinations of heat and landfill or accumulates in the ocean, pressure, as this produces different as up to 80 percent of ocean plastic densities of plastic. Thicker bags (bags pollution enters from land8.

- Ensure the plastic is washed and

for life) are typically formed from High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Supermarkets

“

offer

carrier

dried to guarantee a good bond.

bag

- Large strips or shredded pieces help

whereas thinner bags are made from recycling drop of points. The majority

O n averag e we o nly r ecycle o n e plastic bag in ever y 20 0 we use Conser ving now.

”

Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) 3.

to ensure there are no air bubbles

of the United Kingdom’s waste is

which can make the material weak.

shipped abroad. Since 2012 more

- Measure the material used as this

According to Waste Management, than 2.7 million tons of plastic waste

helps to reduce waste.

only 1 percent of plastic bags are has been sent to China and Hong

- Melt at a low temperature to avoid

returned for recycling. Therefore, the Kong 9 . But why does our waste need

toxic fumes.

average family only recycles 15 bags to take the long trip be recycled? It

- Ensure the room is well ventilated

a year4; the rest end up in landfill or would be more appropriate if there as litter.

and the correct protective equipment

was a process to help reuse waste and

is always being worn.

create it into something new. Figure Three: Chair from waste material

7 R E S E A R C H

REUSE.REDUCE

PL ASTIC PANDEMIC

8 R E S E A R C H

Figure Four: Precious Plastic Product Examples

THE SCALE OF THE POLLUTION

WHY IS WASTE A PROBLEM?

Currently there are no corners of

Plastic becomes a problem if it is not

Plastic waste is an issue due to people

the world that are free from plastic

disposed of correctly. Plastic can have

not recycling efficiently. Plastic waste

waste10. Plastic pollution can be found

detrimental effects on the oceans eco

that can be recycled but is not,

on every beach worldwide11, from

system as it decomposes slowly and

remains in landfill where it takes years

busy tourist beaches to uninhabited

breaks down into microplastics which

tropical islands, nowhere is safe.

are extremely damaging to sea life.

waste does not make it to landfill as it

Furthermore, it has been predicted

Microplastics make their way into the

gets blown away due to being so light.

that by 2050 there will be more plastic

food chain as they can be eaten by

From there it can clutter drains, enter

than fish in the ocean12 if nothing

fish which are then eaten by larger

rivers and then pollute the ocean.

changes. More than 300 million tons

animals and even us.

decompose.

Furthermore,

the

of plastic are produced annually, yet

Low income countries also have

more than 90% of all plastic is not

insufficient or no recycling facilities.

recycled13, and less than 1% of carrier

For example, in Indonesia, they pile

bags are not recycled14.

rubbish onto the riverbanks which is

Figure Five: Plastic in the ocean

subsequently burnt. The rubbish on the banks can collapse which enters the rivers and offers the plastic a gateway into the ocean.

PRECIOUS PLASTIC

Precious Plastic is an open source

Instagram: @realpreciousplastic

project, they share knowledge and

resources to help people contribute

conducted the international costal

towards

recycling

plastic.

2017

the

Ocean

Conservancy

Their

clean up to help reduce the plastic

website contains various resources

waste littering the worlds eco system.

that people can access which can

Plastic carrier bags came 4th in the

contribute towards the process.

list of most common items found, as sadly 520,900 plastic bags were

They

create

simple

yet

elegant

Precious Plastic’s aim is to reduce

products that have value. This is

plastic waste. They achieve this by

something that needs to be replicated

advertising the benefits of recycling,

in this project. Showing the user that

experimenting with new technologies

their discarded plastic waste has been

and even trying to adopt a zero-waste

repurposed into something that has

lifestyle. Their solutions see people as

a value and that people would want

the key element to fix the plastic mess.

in their homes. However, Precious

Precious Plastic is a combination of

Plastic is a process that people would

people,

and

struggle to recreate at home due to

knowledge to create an alternative

the equipment needed, so this project

global recycling system.

could give the opportunity for people

machines,

platforms

to try it themselves.

recovered during the clean-up15.

9 R E S E A R C H

TURNING TRASH INTO TREASURE Supermarkets encourage customers to use reusable bags in order to reduce the consumption of plastic. Marks and Spencer’s offer a bag replacement scheme after a

10 R E S E A R C H

bag for life has been purchased. The scheme aims to reduce the number of bags placed into landfill by giving the consumer a new bag once theirs is damaged. Then Marks and Spencer’s can dispose of the bag correctly.

However, the bag for life design changes seasonally. This can produce waste if a store has received more bags for a previous season than needed, these are not placed for sale with the new seasons design. Instead they are stored backstage and not used.

Marks and Spencer’s could create products using the recycled bags. These products would be used in store, in the café or food hall. Furthermore, it would show customers how their damaged carrier bags can be turned into a valuable item. It would be the perfect platform to spread awareness of plastic pollution as well as showing that carrier bags are not single use item and how important it is to dispose of them correctly. Carrier bags should be recognised as a material that can be used efficiently and effectively for multiple applications.

11 R E S E A R C H

PROJECT FOCUS

THE DESIGN -

Ensure that the design of the product enhances the material

These aims are guidelines which ensure that the

created. Using the properties to improve the product (for

project remains consistent and is focused on

example the material could be waterproof so used for outdoor

achieving the end goal of repurposing plastic waste

applications).

for a longer life. There are three key sections that are vital for this project to be successful, these are

experimentation, the design and the story. Below

To create a product or a range that are suitable for Marks and Spencer’s.

are the key aims for each category.

The design must be able to be manufactured by the process.

Other materials can be used if they are repurposed or sustainable.

A I M S

13 A I M S

E X P ERIMEN TATION

TELLING THE STORY

Explore ways to show that the material can have a value.

To show how plastic waste can be used to recreate aesthetically

Develop a technique that can be controlled in order to produce a professional material.

Ensure that the process produces a consistent output.

The process must be a batch production process.

The material that has been created should be tested to have a

pleasing products. -

Ensure that there is a visual element to help explain the process e.g. a diagram.

good understanding of the properties and boundaries. -

Creating a process that doesn’t create a great deal of waste

Explore ways to promote the products.

14 E X P E R I M E N T

R I S K

15 E X P E R I M E N T S

RISKY BUSINESS Due to this idea being a relatively new prospect, it was not certain that it would be possible to create a suitable material with the resources available. This was a huge risk to take, as there was not a definitive answer whether this material would be useable to take forward and if a suitable process would be discovered. The question is, was it worth the risk?

E X P E R I M E N T

TRIALS AND TESTING Left to right shows the order of the experimentation.

THE PROCESS Testing the initial proces and changing aspects to improve it.

E X P E R I M E N T

STEP ONE preparing the carrier bags

STEP TWO melting the bags

STEP THREE additional material

STEP FOUR using a mould

Remove any contaminants for example

Place 20g of the cut bags into the heat

Once the material in the pan is combined,

Take the material and place it into a heat

receipts. Removing the black handles

proof bowl and melt using the heat gun.

add another 20g of strips. Ensure it is

proof mould. Apply force to the mould

from the bags (set these aside as there

Use a metal rod to help combine the

bonding to the pervious material. Keep

in order to ensure that the material is

could be a future use for these). Cut

material together. Apply heat depending

adding additional strips until enough

taking the shape of the mould. Leave

the bag into 25mm strips (vertically).

on the state of the material (stop if

material is created.

until cooled.

Each strip should then be cut into 60mm

burning occurs).

sections (one vertical strip should produce 5 pieces).

POSITIVES TO KEEP

Size of the pieces

The method

A variety of moulds

Adding more material once combined

The method

remove the black handles remove contaminants

ASPECTS TO CHANGE

Wipe the bags with an antibacterial

Add more material

The time this step takes as after too long

Find a better way of applying the

substance to remove bacteria

Try a different heat source as the heat

the material doesn’t seem to bond

pressure consistently

gun is too powerful

Knowing when the material is cool.

E X P E R I M E N T

POSITIVE DISASTERS Throughout the experimentation process there were times when experiments didn’t turn out as expected. However, even these turned out to become positive disasters. (Image order left to right)

22 E X P E R I M E N T S

Image One: Experiment Sixteen. During the melting process the heat was too high which turned the dough extremely sticky and hard to handle. However, this test was proof of how versatile this material is. The process that I attempted would work well for low income countries. They could melt the plastic and place it into basic moulds to create bricks that could be used for houses. It also could be used for curb stones due to how tough it is. Image Two: This experiment showed how texture can be held by the material. After accidently placing a textured item onto the warm material, it was apparent that the material could be embossed. Image Three: Understanding the structure of the material was crucial in knowing the melting point of the material. Inside of the test, there are areas where the material has bonded well and other sections where it has not. At the points where the material is not compressed, it is not as strong or durable. These positive disasters gave crucial information and insights into the material and its properties. They allowed the material to be improved and provided a structure to ensure the material is created to the best of its ability.

23 E X P E R I M E N T S

E X P E R I M E N T

THE REPURPOSE PLASTIC PROCESS PCM - THE 100% recycled material

Moving platen

Hydraulic ram Pressure and

Platern raised

heat applied

26 E X P E R I M E N T S

Static platen

Melted PCM

Finished part

THE MATERIAL

THE PROCESS The repurpose plastic process (RPP) 2. The hot dough is placed inside of a consists of five stages. Before the mould. process the carrier bags are cleaned from contaminants and cut into 3. The moving pattern is placed on top pieces that are approximately 80mm of the static platen, where heat and x 20mm (length, width). The process pressure are applied. This forces the is as followed:

material to spread into the mould.

1. Strips of carrier bags are melted 4. The material is left in the mould for at 200 degrees to form a dough. fifteen minutes. The ensures that the Initially, a large quantity of the strips material is keeping the desired shape are placed into the bowl while being when cooling. heated. More strips are added to achieve a better quality marbled 5. The moving pattern is raised, and appearance.

the part is removed from the mould.

- Dense: The structure of PCM is closely compacted making it dense. - Hard: PCM can withstand large forces

The carrier bag material is known as

due to its solid structure. It does not

PCM (Plastic carrier material). PCM is

scratch easily or show indentations

created from only one source, Carrier

after manufacture.

bags. The properties of PCM are as followed:

- Not Ductile: PCM does not deform by bending, twisting or stretching as

- Durable: PCM can withstand wear,

it is solid.

pressure and damage. It is a hardwearing material.

PCM can be machine cut, filed, sanded and drilled. Once sanded PCM can

- Waterproof: PCM is impervious

be left unfinished or a gloss can be

to water as it does not affect the

applied. PCM can be embossed while

aesthetics.

in the mould.

E X P E R I M E N T S

E X P E R I M E N T

Individual pieces

Pine chair

Chopping board, mixture of PCM and Polyethylene

Te x t u r e a p p l i e d t o t h e m a t e r i a l t o i m p r o v e g r i p

A p p l e s l i c e r, w i t h s t a i n l e s s s t e e l b l a d e

Glass top

Food tasting cabinet

Mixture of PCM and Glass

S K E T C H I N G

Aluminum tube frame

Shopping basket handles, additional grip could be added

PRODUCT E X P LOR ATION Mixture of PCM and ceramic

The orange on the sketches indicates where the PCM would be Adds detail to a simple design

used.

“ W h e e l s” u s e d i n s t o r e t o t r a n s p o r t g o o d s Curved PCM for a comfy seat

Fruit bowel

Staff swipe card holder

Organic materials e.g. bamboo legs for a

Stainless steel details

contemporary feel

S K E T C H I N G

Café tray

Use the PCM to add detail Coaster with a resin centre strip

Glass top

Storage unit, using the material to give personality

Homeware Ideas

Café Ideas

Stool

Cake stand

Tr a y

Saucer

34 S K E T C H I N G

Mirror

S K E T C H I N G

Lamp base

Salt and pepper mill

Bowl

Plant pot

PRODUCT PAT H WAY S The two design directions for the project will be designing

Coaster

products for Marks and Spencer’s to use in store as well as a product that they can sell. The product they would sell would be an item of home wear as this has a large target market.

36 D E V E L O P M E N

ADAPT

37 D E V E L O P M E N T

THE TURNING POINT Due to the current climate (Covid-19), there was no access to the facilities needed to continue with the physical making aspect of the project. Instead CAD has been used to create mock-ups of what the products could have been.

D E V E L O P M E N

COASTER The change of the form. (Image order left to right).

F I N A L

I D E A

Stay in place. The cork bot tom ensures that the coaster will not slide while being used.

Simplistic. A simple yet ef fec tive design that could be seen in any home.

F I N A L

I D E A

Sustainable.

Spread the word.

The mix ture of rec yclable materials highlights

T h e e m b o s s e d m a ke r s m a r k s h o w c a s e s t h a t t h e

the value of the produc t.

produc t is made from rec yclable material.

D E V E L O P M E N

CAK E STAND The development of the base form. (Image order is left to right).

F I N A L

I D E A

F r e s h e r f o r l o n g e r.

Reusable

The lid ensures that ’s the goods inside stay fresh

The card can be easily changed whenever

as well as protec ting them from any bac teria.

needed. The displayer holder is wipe clean.

F I N A L

I D E A

No movement

Embossed detail

Rubber stoppers at the bot tom of the stand

T h e m a ke r s m a r k o n t h e b a c k o f t h e d i s p l a y

ensure that it stays secure and will not slide.

h o l d e r i n f o r m s t h a t i t i s m a d e f r o m 10 0 % rec yclable material.

D E V E L O P M E N

STOOL The improvements to the stools structure. (Image order left to right).

F I N A L

I D E A

User friendly The form of the seat allows it to be easily

Seamlessly attached

moved around the café. The seat is slightly

The seat and legs are at tached by screwing into

cur ved for added comfor t.

t h e s e a t v i a t h e b r a c ke t .

F I N A L

I D E A

Cur ves in all the right places The frames radiused edges have seen specif ically placed to ensure that the stool is rigid and secure.

Safe and secure The additional grip on the legs ensures the stool will not slide, providing a safe seat for all ages.

6. BACK TO STORE The items for the store or to be sold in store are packaged and transported back to be used or sold.

5. MANUFACTURING

56 T H E

The moulded or pressed PCM will then be used to create various products needed for the store e.g. Stools. Or it will be used for products for the store to sell.

1. COLLECTING THE BAGS The bags are collected from the store. Used bags are brought to the store by customers.

M&S

2. TO THE WORKSHOP

INSTORE PROCESS

The bags are transported to the workshop where they will be made into valuable products.

57 T H E

S T O R Y

4. REPURPOSE THE PLASTIC

3. DEEP CLEAN

Using the Repurposing Plastic Process (RPP) the melted PCM will be pressed into ﬂat sheets or placed into moulds to create forms.

The bags are disinfected to remove bacteria and any contaminants such as receipts.

T H E

S T O R Y

IN S T O R E D I S P L AY

To promote the product to the customers a display (as seen above) would be used in stores. This would educate the individual about the product explaining it is made from used carrier bags from the bag for life scheme. The product would be placed here available to purchase.

Printed onto rec yclable card

Each batch of coasters would be dif ferent and unique

Produc t in use example

T H E

S T O R Y

The black handles from the bags could be used to package the produc t. This w o u l d m a ke u s e o f e v e r y p a r t o f t h e bag meaning no waste.

PRODUCT PACK AGING 10 0 % r e c y c l a b l e

S T O R Y

62 W H E R E N E X T

FUTURE WHERE NEXT? The possibilities seem endless with this project. There are various options on what to do next but the plan for the next few months is: - To physically make a product. The process has been proven and a suitable material can be created, now it is time to make prototypes and refine the design until a suitable product has been produced. The first product I am aiming to make is the coaster. - Sell the products. Over the next few months when multiple products have been made these could be sold on sites such as Etsy. - To keep documenting the process on Instagram as it is a platform to present the idea. - As a member of staff at Marks and Spencer’s I have applied for my work to be shown in the monthly staff magazine. I am also in the process of arranging a meeting with management about my idea for them to pass forward. Hopefully, I will be able to achieve this and push my idea to the next step. Who knows one day people might be using this process themselves and see that their used carrier bags still have a value.

63 W H E R E N E X T

Repurposing Plastic Waste by Esther Peacey Any further information on the project can be found at my website: https://estpeacey.wixsite.com/estherpeacey Further development work and an additional explanation of each element can be found at this site. Email: estpeacey@hotmail.com Instagram: @productdesign.est

REFERENCES All photographs or illustrations in this book have been taken or created by the author unless stated otherwise.

1: BBC. (2019). Drowning in Plastic. Retrieved from:

11: Surfers against sewage. (undated). Plastic Pollution

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bmbn47

facts and figures. Retrieved from: https://www.sas. org.uk/our-work/plastic-pollution/plastic-pollution-

2: Leblance. R. (2019). The decomposition of

facts-figures/

waste in landfills. Retrieved from: https://www. thebalancesmb.com/how-long-does-it-take-garbage-

12: Hornak, L. (2016). Will there be more fish or plastic

to-decompose-2878033

in the sea in 2050?. Retrieved from: https://www.bbc. co.uk/news/magazine-35562253

3: Environment Agency. (2011). Life cycle assessment of supermarket carrier bags: a review of the bags.

13: Plastic Oceans, (2020). Who we are. Retrieved

Report retrieved from: https://assets.publishing.

from: https://plasticoceans.org/who-we-are/

service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/ attachment_data/file/291023/scho0711buan-e-e.pdf

14: The world counts. (2020). How many plastic bags are used each year?. Retrieved dorm: https://www.

4: Centre for Biological Diversity. (undated). The

theworldcounts.com/challenges/planet-earth/waste/

problem with plastic bags. Retrieved from: https://

plastic-bags-used-per-year

www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/population_

66 R E F E R E N C E S

and_sustainability/sustainability/plastic_bag_facts.

15: Ocean conservancy, (2017). International Costal

html

Clean up. Retrieved from: https://oceanconservancy. org/trash-free-seas/international-coastal-cleanup/

5: Earth Policy Institute, (undated). Plastic Bag Fact Sheet. Retrieved from: http://www.earth-policy.org/ images/uploads/press_room/Plastic_Bags.pdf 6: The world counts. (2020). How many plastic bags are used each year? Retrieved dorm: https://www. theworldcounts.com/challenges/planet-earth/waste/ plastic-bags-used-per-year 7: Leblanc, R. (2019). The decomposition of waste in landfills. Retrieved from: https://www. thebalancesmb.com/how-long-does-it-take-garbageto-decompose-2878033 8: . Ritchie, H. Roser,M. (2018). Plastic Pollution. Retrieved from: https://ourworldindata.org/plasticpollution 9: The Independent. (2017). Impending crisis for UK waste recycling. Retrieved from: https://www. independent.co.uk/environment/china-plasticimport-ban-uk-recycling-landfill-options-waste-crisisdisposal-a8097166.html Page 6 Quote: Conserving now. (undated). Plastic bag consumption facts. Retrieved from: https:// conservingnow.com/plastic-bag-consumption-facts/ 10: Greenpeace, (2020). Plastic Pollution. Retrieved from: https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/challenges/ plastic-pollution/

volunteer/ Photographs Figure One: Carrier bags Social Change UK. (undated). Carrier bags [Photograph]. Retrieved from: https://social-change. co.uk/images/made/images/uploads/One-year-on--did-the-plastic-carrier-bag-charge-impact-on-ourbehaviour-_860_540_80_s_c1.jpg Figure Two: Carrier bag recycling diagram Peacey, E. (2020). The lifecycle of a carrier bag [Illustration]. Created by the Author Figure Three: Chair from waste material Precious Plastic. (2019). Repurpose Plastic Chair [Photograph]. Retrieved from: https://preciousplastic. com/ Figure Four: Precious Plastic Product Examples Real Precious Plastic. (2017, December 31st). Multiple examples of Precious Plastic products [Photograph]. Retrieved from @realpreciousplastic (Instagram). Figure Five: Plastic in the ocean The Hans India. (2018). Plastic in the ocean [Photograph]. Retrieved from: https://www. thehansindia.com/posts/index/NewsAnalysis/2018-06-08/Ocean-pollution-makingwaves/387427

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Repurposing Plastic Waste

Articles inside

AIMS

Once cooled, remove from the