Why do we need to "Renew" the recycling of plastic?

Plastic is a...
• Valuable Resource (wide applicability and good durability)
• Persistent Pollutant (can last for 100s of years  and turns into microplastics )
• Common Material (3rd most common waste produced in US )
•  Low-cost Raw Material for Manufacturing

How the current domestic plastic recycling industry is failing:
►  Severed by China's new high standards  for plastic material
►  No market balance between collectors and processors
►  Irresponsible exports of plastic to developing countries
►  Diverts plastic to incinerators  or landfills when profits dwindle 

I was born and raised in Asheville (making me a rare full-fledged Ashevillian) and I want to give back to and improve this community that I've called home my whole life. I am graduating this May from Appalachian State University! My areas of study have been...I have always had a passion for sustainability and was fortunate to have App State nearby to hone my knowledge and technical skills. During my time in college I developed some key interests guided by what I care about and which influence the future I know is possible for me and the world.

My interests include:
☺ Working for Sustainable Business
☺ Resource Management
☺ Mitigating Environmental Impacts of Myself and Others
☺ Being a Bicycle Advocate
☺ Simple and Affordable Sustainable Technologies
☺ How to Sustainably Meet Essential Human Needs

What makes my "renewed" recycling model different?

Scale: The scale of the business is intentionally local, the positive impact of people's recycling efforts should be visible and personable, which is not the case with distant regional services we see today. The scaling of my operations will be distributed rather than centralized. This will facilitate dynamic growth for areas that are ready to curb their contribution to plastic pollution. This growth could include everything from the pop up of new collection points for interested neighborhoods to the introduction of a new workspace in another city!

Specialization: Currently, contamination from putting all our mixed recyclables into one bin has made it difficult for companies to provide acceptable materials to processors. My specialization for plastic scrap only will simplify and balance the process of recycling plastic and increase its success, while helping to reduce contamination for other recycling facilities.

Transportation: My pedal powered vehicle will replace the noisy stop-and-go recycling trucks that are constantly burning fuel. My locally distributed recycling service will enable me to use other forms of transportation, like my bicycle, which has a MUCH lower carbon footprint. It might seem like a crazy proposition here in the mountains, but this new era of electric bikes is substantially improving the capabilities of these two wheeled wonders! The power of my pedaling plus the assistance of a small electric motor will provide the energy and endurance needed to make this deed of collecting plastic doable all around town. And, the inclusion of solar into the set up will help to extend my serviceable range, while reducing the business's carbon footprint even more!

With the help and resources of the Precious Plastic  community, I'll construct the recycling machines displayed below. With these machines I can process the collected scrap plastic back into a raw material, then turn that raw recycled material back into useful items! 

To extend the useful life of the plastic and keep it out of the environment, items produced will be timeless, reusable, and also aesthetically unique! A few examples of potential products include pint glasses for local breweries, composting and recycling bins, solar air heaters, toys like frisbees and slingshots (and face shields for COVID-19)

Funding Phases

PHASE 1: The Pilot Program
This is the current phase and the one that you will be helping me fund. This phase entails assembling the core system of recycling processes (machines and production flow), creating a community network of customers,  schools and businesses, and prototyping and testing potential products. I am honing the first year business plan.

Specific items being funded:
► Promotional and educational materials
► Bicycle trailer materials
► Sourcing scrap metal for machines I will build
► Machine electronics
► Waterjet and welding services (unless someone can teach me!)
► Personal protective equipment
► A larger crucible for bigger castings

PHASE 2: Commercial Level Development
Once my pilot program has enough traction, I plan to work with established local and regional organizations to broaden their offerings, as well as increase the range of my services. This will be done though business contracts, expanded community collection points, and  through my broadened public image and presence.  For maximum success, the first year business plan will be projected into a 3 year and 5 year plan. Here is an example of some organizations I have targeted to partner with:

CompostNow 
Danny's Dumpster 

My Completed Work!

Metal Recycling
I have been melting down scrap aluminum with the mini metal foundry that I made!

I've already produced enough ingots to cast some pieces for some repair projects. These small repair castings will provide me with some practice before I begin doing bigger castings.