UPDATE: Unfortunately, we are having a supply issue with the Terracyle boxes and can no longer supply them to customers.
Please go to Terracycle directly for more info and/or to get boxes.
UPDATE: Unfortunately, we are having a supply issue with the Terracyle boxes and can no longer supply them to customers.
Please go to Terracycle directly for more info and/or to get boxes.
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7 comments
Filabot Team
Clara, Terracycle is available in Canada: https://www.terracycle.com/en-CA/
Clara, Terracycle is available in Canada: https://www.terracycle.com/en-CA/
Filabot Team
Carl, it is our understanding that Terracycle isn’t turning the waste plastic into feedstock for 3D printers, but most of it is being used for injection molded products such as park benches or composite “wood alternative” products aka classy plastic lumber. Your concerns about uneducated recycling processing though are valid and arguably the largest obstacle to successfully utilizing waste plastics- humans just don’t seem to be able to sort it out yet. Here’s hoping we can improve in the future!
Carl, it is our understanding that Terracycle isn’t turning the waste plastic into feedstock for 3D printers, but most of it is being used for injection molded products such as park benches or composite “wood alternative” products aka classy plastic lumber. Your concerns about uneducated recycling processing though are valid and arguably the largest obstacle to successfully utilizing waste plastics- humans just don’t seem to be able to sort it out yet. Here’s hoping we can improve in the future!
Filabot Team
Nice to hear back from you Ender, with your changed perspective! Sorry to hear you are finding life meaningless – perhaps try some Existential philosophy such as Camus, Kierkegaard, or Sartre? It’s worked for some of us.
Nice to hear back from you Ender, with your changed perspective! Sorry to hear you are finding life meaningless – perhaps try some Existential philosophy such as Camus, Kierkegaard, or Sartre? It’s worked for some of us.
Ender
I changed my mind. I don’t want to contribute to waste. My life is already meaningless. No more rants.
I changed my mind. I don’t want to contribute to waste. My life is already meaningless. No more rants.
Carl Campbell
I called Teracycle to ask a few questions like how they process the plastics, if they need to be separated, who buys them, etc. They say that they combine all plastics into pellets which are sold in bulk to clients. I wasn’t able to get much more info about who might buy this kind of material, I’m guessing it’s sold very cheap as I have significant doubts as to the usefulness of a composite that could contain PLA, ABS, PETG, Nylon, PVA, PC, TPU, and more. The price is certainly right, 1.5 cubic feet of plastic (roughly the size of the small box) for $85 seems very reasonable, and I sincerely doubt Teracycle is making a killing on this transaction. A box that size would last me 6 months to a year and would certainly alleviate my conscience. That said I’m still not totally convinced they have fully thought out the process of 3D print recycling as their explanation page is very bare-bones, makes no mention of filaments that contain other materials like Carbon Fiber, Metals, or Wood which naive consumers may opt to throw in, or Resin from SLA printers. Seems obvious to me that you shouldn’t, but these technologies are more accessible than ever. More people doing it = more people who don’t know better. That’s why I think either the end product has to be nearly worthless or donated to charity projects. Having gotten as deep as I have into FDM printing, I just didn’t get the impression like they’re fully aware of the scope of variability in materials.
I called Teracycle to ask a few questions like how they process the plastics, if they need to be separated, who buys them, etc. They say that they combine all plastics into pellets which are sold in bulk to clients. I wasn’t able to get much more info about who might buy this kind of material, I’m guessing it’s sold very cheap as I have significant doubts as to the usefulness of a composite that could contain PLA, ABS, PETG, Nylon, PVA, PC, TPU, and more. The price is certainly right, 1.5 cubic feet of plastic (roughly the size of the small box) for $85 seems very reasonable, and I sincerely doubt Teracycle is making a killing on this transaction. A box that size would last me 6 months to a year and would certainly alleviate my conscience. That said I’m still not totally convinced they have fully thought out the process of 3D print recycling as their explanation page is very bare-bones, makes no mention of filaments that contain other materials like Carbon Fiber, Metals, or Wood which naive consumers may opt to throw in, or Resin from SLA printers. Seems obvious to me that you shouldn’t, but these technologies are more accessible than ever. More people doing it = more people who don’t know better. That’s why I think either the end product has to be nearly worthless or donated to charity projects. Having gotten as deep as I have into FDM printing, I just didn’t get the impression like they’re fully aware of the scope of variability in materials.
Ender
You mean two downsides, $85 to have people send you Failed prints that you will turn around and sell again and make more $$, what a joke. Guess my failed prints will be going to a land fill. I know you scammers won’t approve this message, I just wanted to rant.
You mean two downsides, $85 to have people send you Failed prints that you will turn around and sell again and make more $$, what a joke. Guess my failed prints will be going to a land fill. I know you scammers won’t approve this message, I just wanted to rant.
Clara
When will this be available in Canada???
When will this be available in Canada???