The prototype, which could help turn shredded plastic bags and other plastics into fuel, comes from recycling company Telfer Inc. in East Chicago, Indiana. The machine could ultimately help cut down waste.To recycle them, the bags must go into separate recycling collection bins at the stores, but those bags may not always get recycled., dropped them off at store recycling bins around the country and tracked the bags. Bags were dropped off at Walmart and Target stores.
While there are similar machines, Hemmersbach says this version is more environmentally friendly. It uses electricity, which can be powered by the sun, water or wind. The machine will also be portable so that it can travel to plants instead of bringing the plastic to the machine. "The intentions can be in the right place, even though these are not the transformational and systemic solutions that we need," Singla said.
Hemmersbach said he agrees that overall plastic use should be reduced, but this invention could repurpose existing plastic waste into a usable product.