Direct transformation of waste children’s toys to high quality products using 3D printing: A waste-to-wealth and sustainable approach

Abstract

Most of post-consumer plastic toys are being ended up as waste. The waste plastic toys can pose a great risk to both people and the environment; at the same time, we will lose many valuable materials that could be recycled. The aim of the present study was to explore the possibility of producing high quality products from waste plastic toys whilst enabling waste plastics to retain their original colour profile. First, the recyclability of the waste plastic toys was investigated using a single screw extruder. The physical, chemical and mechanical properties of prepared filaments were evaluated. Repeated thermo-mechanical stresses did not alter the properties of polymers significantly until ten reprocessing cycles, which suggests that waste plastic toys can be recycled at the end of their lives. Then, the filaments produced from both waste plastic toys and virgin polymer served to fabricate products using a three-dimensional (3D) printer, to examine the possibility of producing high quality products using new manufacturing techniques. The tensile strength, elastic modulus and impact strength of the printed product were found to be 32 ± 2 MPa, 2253 ± 271 MPa and 40 ± 1 kJ/m2, respectively. The mechanical properties of the 3D printed specimens from waste plastics were as good as virgin material. The process developed in this study can reduce carbon footprint and production cost. The utilisation of waste plastic toys as feedstock to produce new plastic products is not only an environment-friendly option but also profitable.