Full Circle Filament - Project Overview
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The document outlines the Full Circle Filament project aimed at transforming plastic waste management in Thailand through the recycling of plastic bottles into 3D printing filament. It addresses the significant issue of plastic pollution and poor working conditions for waste pickers while presenting a viable circular economy solution that leverages growing demand for ethical and recycled 3D printing materials. The project involves collaboration among various partners to establish a sustainable business model that benefits local communities and reduces environmental impact.
Full Circle Filament - Project Overview
- 1. FULL CIRCLE FILAMENT RECYCLING PLASTIC BOTTLES INTO 3D PRINTING FILAMENT
- 2. CONTENTS • The Problem • The Opportunity • The Project Partners • The Plan • The Ask • The Next Steps
- 3. THE PROBLEM
- 4. THE WAY WE RECYCLE ISN’T WORKING Plastic waste is relatively new to Thailand and there is no culture of separation at source. Dirty plastic waste from dumps, streets, rivers and mixed garbage cans provide waste pickers with just 3 USD a day on average under poor working
- 5. EVERY YEAR, MORE THAN 8 MILLION METRIC TONNES OF PLASTIC GOES INTO THE OCEAN The Ocean Conservancy, 2015 Creative Commons: Cesar Harada, 2009
- 6. THAILAND IS IN THE TOP FIVE OF MARINE LITTER POLLUTERS Over 50% of land-based plastic waste leakage comes from just 5 countries: China, Indonesia, The Philippines Thailand and Vietnam McKinsey & The Ocean Conservancy, 2015Source: https://puncbottles.com/finished-plastic-bottles-yet/
- 7. AND THE PROBLEM IS ESCALATING China was the world’s largest plastic recycler and a major importer of recycled PET from Thailand. Starting January 1st, 2018, China stopped importing plastic waste in an effort to recycle more of their own.
- 8. THE WAY WE RECYCLE IS A DEAD END ➔ Poor working conditions and earnings for waste pickers ➔ Dysfunctional recycling system spilling plastic into the ocean ➔ Lack of solutions for plastic recycling within Thailand
- 10. WE NEED TO CHANGE from a linear economy to a circular economy
- 11. THE 3D PRINTING MARKET IS TAKING OFF Projected value of the global 3D printing market 2017 to 2021 (in billions of USD) * Another projection puts it at $32.8 B in 2023.)
- 12. INCREASING DEMAND FOR PLASTIC Most 3D printing filament is made from virgin plastic resins, thus using unrenewable resources.. There is a growing demand for recycled filament and 3D printed products from conscious consumers.
- 14. 1. Waste collectors source PET and end of life 3D prints and sell to the Full Circle Filament (FCF) hub. 2. FCF hub shreds PET, other plastics, and end of life 3D prints into flakes. 3. FCF hub blends PET and other plastic flakes. 4. FCF hub extrudes FCF filament. 5. FCF hub prints inclusive products and provides 3D printing as a service to local entrepreneurs. THE VISION A decentralised circular economy where hubs locally recycle plastic waste into 3D filament and print, collect and recycle end products for the local economy.
- 15. THE INCLUSIVE BUSINESS MODEL creating ethical filament through inclusive sourcing 1. Waste collectors source post-consumer waste PET and sell to the FCF hub. 2. FCF hub shreds PET into flakes. 4. Covestro lab blends PET and other plastic flakes into pellets. 5. FCF hub extrudes pellets into FCF filament and sells filament 6. FCF hub researches 3D product applications for BOP markets. Prints are recycled back into filament. 3. FCF hub sources post-industrial waste plastic
- 16. ETHICAL FILAMENT & INCLUSIVE SOURCING • We recycle existing plastic to produce a commercial grade 3D printing filament • We focus on inclusive sourcing and production in partnership with waste picking communities with the aim to raise their income and improve working conditions. • The team has approached multiple recycling aggregators with inclusive business approaches about material sourcing.
- 17. WHAT WE’VE DONE SO FAR • We have created our first two batches of PET and other plastic blend • We have created our first batch of 3D filament using our first blend (and external partners to create filament) • We have approached multiple recycling aggregators with inclusive business approaches about material sourcing • We have created our current partnership, see partners section for more...
- 18. Creative Commons: Cesar Harada, 2009 “By improving waste management in Southeast Asian countries, we can cut the flow of plastic going in the ocean by half by 2025.” - Susan Ruffo, managing director of international initiatives at Ocean Conservancy.
- 19. THE PARTNERS
- 20. WHO DOES WHAT IN A NUTSHELL Covestro blends the PET and other plastics to create the pellets that will become filament. Filabot provides tech support on filament extrusion done with their machines. Endeva supports with project management, research and relationship building. The Thammases School Global Studies team runs the FCF hub which includes inclusive sourcing and processing of waste as well as the production and sales of filament.
- 21. THAMMASAT UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF GLOBAL STUDIES • Project Lead • The School of Global Studies (SGS) team joined the project as the local partner to do research and help identify opportunities, as well as to help develop the value chain. • SGS will now launch a social enterprise that will lead the project from proof of concept to market launch. The social enterprise will provide good jobs for BOP workers, increased income for informal recyclers, and a work-study vehicle for students interested in gaining experience while in school.
- 22. • Technical Partner (Materials side) • Initiated the project through the organization’s Inclusive Business unit and drove it through proof of concept. • Covestro will continue to serve as the lead technical consultant on the material side of the project, as well as the processor for plastic blending throughout the project and beyond. COVESTRO
- 23. • Project Management & Research • Endeva helps people and organisations create and grow inclusive businesses. They are a research and consulting institute that helped deliver the project to proof of concept • Endeva is a critical partner for their project leadership, research capability, and relationships they have fostered. ENDEVA
- 24. • Technical Partner (Equipment side) • Accomplishments: • Filabot has helped by testing filament extrusion in their machines and they validated the ability to use the project’s filament in 3D printers. • Future Role: • continue to participate in extrusion and 3D printing tests. • look into modifying its industrial grinder to suit PET bottles. • participate in “remote blending” tests which would allow remote labs to process PET locally into filament. FILABOT
- 25. THE PLAN
- 26. PHASE ZERO achievements so far 1. Established contact with university plastic bank to work with waste collectors. 2. Initially sourced R- PET from China to test PET and other blend. Researched shredding options. 4. Covestro lab blended two batches of R-PET and other plastics. 5. First batch of filament was made from our blend by three external parties, one was Filabot using their extruder. 6. Initial research on BOP market applications and development of inclusive business model concept.. 3. Established contact with potential post- industrial plastic supplier
- 27. PHASE ONE Bring ethical filament to market This phase will focus on getting the ethical filament to market to help make the project self-sustaining as early as possible. Estimated timeline: 0-12 months
- 28. PHASE ONE This phase will focus on getting the ethical filament to market to help make the project self-sustaining as early as possible. Estimated timeline: 0-12 months Activities: ● Finalize the initial testing necessary to develop the product. ● Conduct end-user testing. ● Test and refine production with ethically-sourced materials. ● Test filament with an array of end users. ● Develop the supply chain/logistics. ● Begin selling filament at retail. ● Seek feedback from customers. ● Refine operations and marketing efforts. Bring ethical filament to market
- 29. Month 3 Prep ● Finalize research into equipment options. ● Order and setup the test lab. ● Begin product development testing. Test ● Complete initial lab and end-customer testing. ● Test and refine production with ethically- sourced materials. ● Test filament with an array of end users. ● Initiate marketing efforts. Month 6 Sell ● Develop the supply chain/logistics. ● Begin selling filament at retail. Month 9 Refine ● Seek feedback from customers. ● Refine operations and marketing efforts. Month 12 Phase 1 - Milestones
- 30. PHASE TWO Develop inclusive business model The next phase will further develop the inclusive business model by researching and testing opportunities to involve low income communities in the production of filament as well as potential 3D printing product applications that benefit the BoP. Estimated timeline: 12-36 months Milestones: ● Identify BoP opportunities for 3D printing. ● Test additional materials and material sources for filament production.
- 31. PHASE TWO The next phase will further develop the inclusive business model by researching and testing opportunities to involve low income communities in the production of filament as well as potential 3D printing product applications that benefit the BoP. Estimated timeline: 12-36 months Milestones: ● Identify BoP opportunities for 3D printing. ● Test additional materials and material sources for filament production. Develop inclusive business model
- 32. PHASE THREE Create decentralised hubs The third phase will work on creating decentralised hubs that will negate the need to ship any PET for filament production. The goal of this is to create a model that will source bottles locally to reduce pollution/waste issues while greatly reducing the cost of production. Estimated timeline: 24-60 months Milestones: ● Reduce the cost of filament production. ● Test and validate the remote processing/extrusion model with the grinders, extruders, printers being on site and using locally sourced PET bottles.
- 33. PHASE THREE The third phase will work on creating decentralised hubs that will negate the need to ship any PET for filament production. The goal of this is to create a model that will source bottles locally to reduce pollution/waste issues while greatly reducing the cost of production. Estimated timeline: 24-60 months Milestones: ● Reduce the cost of filament production. ● Test and validate the remote processing/extrusion model with the grinders, extruders, printers being on site and using locally sourced PET bottles. Create decentralised hubs
- 34. The Ask
- 35. PROJECT NEEDS The project is in need of seed funding for the following components to take it from Proof of Concept to Market Reality: Equipment • Prep: • A bottle washing station & a plastic grinder. • Production: • Filament extruders w/air paths and spoolers, measurement gauges and spare parts. Labour • Thammasat team leading local efforts including the processing lab development, marketing, production & product testing, and community building. • Endeva leading research and project management. Additional costs • Packaging, shipping, advertising, insurance, and administration.
- 36. NEXT STEPS
- 37. INCLUSIVE SOURCING • Thammasat University’s Recycle Bank passes 90% of its recycling income on to informal recyclers that sell materials to the bank. • Ex: If the Recycle Bank receives 10 Baht/kg for PET, it pays 9 Baht/kg to the informal recyclers. • Our project would create a new grade of plastic at the TU Recycle Bank (clear/clean PET) and pay a higher rate for this material. • This would raise incomes for informal recycling workers. • The clean, clear PET would simplify processing and enabling us to offer a high-quality filament with consistent coloring. Phase 1 Plan
- 38. FILAMENT PROCESSING • The Thammasat U. team will create a social enterprise that will develop the 3D printing filament value chain. • Plastic received from the informal recycling collectors will be washed and processed into flakes in a lab on campus. • Flakes will be delivered to Covestro for blending and pelletization. • Covestro will deliver pellets to the lab for filament extrusion. Phase 1 Plan
- 39. VALUE CHAIN DEVELOPMENT • The team will hire Thammasat U. students to perform market research, as well as to work with 3D printing labs to test our filament. • We’ve identified the opportunity to market the world’s first ethical 3D filament and will integrate that and the environmental benefits in marketing materials. • We’ll work to validate cost projections and adjust the plan as necessary to ensure a sustainable business model. Phase 1 Plan
- 40. CORE TEAM Chris Oestereich Founder - FCF Tendai Pasipanodya Director – Endeva Mariska van Gaalen Associated Expert – Endeva Juliet Ler Hui-Ling Manager, Inclusive Business Development - Covestro Yuttana Liansiri Laboratory - Covestro