A curious contraption aims to reduce plastic waste by eliminating complexity. Two units (one 40ft container housing the processing line and one 20ft solar cell unit) make up a recycling line capable of upcyling up to 50kg of waste each hour. This system, known as Trashpresso, takes three simple steps to transform plastic bottles into tiles: size-reduction, purification, and reshaping.
Firstly the machine shreds plastic waste into small pieces which are then transferred to the washer for purification. The pieces then move through the dryer and dehumidifier to get them ready for moulding. Once the moulds are filled with the purified plastic shreds, they are placed into the oven for melting. Once fully cooled, the result is one of three hexagonal tile designs – the Hexa Tile, the Finger Print Tile, and the Star Tile.
Trashpresso is mostly noted for its attempts at minimising waste on many levels, not only removing plastic waste, but reducing waste and energy use during the recycling process. In the ovens an air filter prevents any unknown contaminants and pollutants from being released into the atmosphere whilst a water filter purifies and recycles the water used for decontamination back into the system. Solar panels, batteries, and a back up diesel generator are used to power Trashpresso.
The tiles produced by the system are suited to both interior and exterior decor, both as flooring and insulation.
A new post by Hanna Simpson, Diary of a Tile Addict, September 2021.