3D printing generates supports, failed prints, filament scraps, but you donāt have to throw them away! š Letās explore how to reuse, recycle, or properly dispose of your 3D printing waste. š§
š 1. Reuse 3D Printing Waste!
Instead of throwing away plastic scraps, you can repurpose them in several ways.
ā 1.1. Re-melting and Molding Plastic
If you have a lot of PLA, PETG, or ABS scraps, you can:
1ļøā£ Cut them into small pieces.
2ļøā£ Melt them in a silicone mold to create custom parts.
3ļøā£ Use them as casting material for functional objects.
š„ PLA and ABS melt at ~170-230Ā°C, so you can use an oven or a dedicated extruder!
ā 1.2. Turn Waste into New Filament! šØ
š” You can recycle failed prints into fresh filament!
š¹ How to do it?
1ļøā£ Shred the plastic into tiny bits (scissors or a plastic shredder).
2ļøā£ Use a filament extruder (e.g., Filastruder, Recreator3D).
3ļøā£ Spool it onto a filament reel ā and it’s ready for printing!
ā Works best with PLA, ABS, PETG ā but TPU is tricky to recycle.
ā 1.3. Use Failed Prints for Testing!
Instead of throwing failed prints away, use them for:
ā Glue tests (CA glue, acetone welding).
ā Painting and finishing experiments.
ā Strength and durability testing.
š” Turn your waste into learning materials! š
ā»ļø 2. Recycling 3D Printing Plastic (PLA, ABS, PETG, TPU)
If you donāt want to reuse the material yourself, you can send it for recycling!
š¹ Which filaments can be recycled?
| Material | Can It Be Recycled? | How to Dispose? |
|---|---|---|
| PLA | ā Yes, but not everywhere | Industrial composting, specialized recycling ā»ļø |
| ABS | ā Yes, but requires processing | Can be dissolved in acetone š„ |
| PETG | ā Easily recyclable | Send to a recycling center š |
| TPU | ā Hard to recycle | Only mechanical reuse possible šļø |
š„ PLA can biodegrade, but only in industrial composting ā not in home conditions!
šļø 3. What to Do with Failed Prints?
š” Instead of throwing them away:
ā
Turn them into functional objects ā coasters, hooks, containers!
ā
Use them for decorative elements ā paint them and turn them into artwork! šØ
ā
Donate to FabLabs or 3D print recycling programs.
š Summary: Donāt Throw It Away ā Reuse It! š„ā»ļø
- Small waste? ā Make new filament! šØļø
- Big parts? ā Melt them into useful objects! š§
- Test samples? ā Use for experiments! šļø
- Not reusing yourself? ā Recycle at a FabLab or a recycling center! ā»ļø
