PROBLEM

Over 99% of plastic is made from chemicals sourced from fossil fuels.

In 2019 there were 168,000 3D printers installed in the UK – extrapolating this with the 24% per year 3D printing growth rate, it is conceivable that there could be in excess of 250,000 3D printers in in the UK.

If we assume the average 3D printer consumes 12 kg of plastic filament annually – the estimated 2021 UK 3D printing plastic demand could be 3 million kg.

With a wastage factor of up to 33%, plastic waste arising from 3D printing in the UK alone could possibly be as high as 1.5 million kg per year.

There is no established end-of-life (EoL) solution for 3D printed plastic waste.

3D printing waste is therefore not being recycled, being disposed of via general waste channels, potentially polluting our land and marine environments.

OUR MISSION

3D printing is a double edged sword. Whilst fundamentally additive, the use of plastic as a feedstock could exacerbate the plastic problem without efficient resource recovery.

3DPW offers viable end-of-life solutions for 3D-printed waste that is not currently recycled or reused, thus preventing further plastic pollution of land and marine environments.

VISION

3DPW seeks to disrupt existing manufacturing waste management by curating a scalable Circular Economy business model – designing-out waste and utilising previously non-recycled resources into high-value input material for various industries and markets, giving plastic waste a new life.

SOLUTION

Recycling – supplying waste as feedstock for manufacturing processes such as Injection Moulding – reducing reliance on virgin polymers.

Upcycling – utilising plastic waste as input material for the production of value-added creative products – giving plastic waste a new life.

Pelletising – shredding plastic waste and then, melting and reforming as pellets for resale as secondary materials – increasing usage of recycled polymers.