Plastics in our Ecosystem

Background

Plastic has become an essential part of our everyday life. Almost anything we touch uses some form of plastic. It is an inexpensive material that can be formed to meet any imaginable situation. However, the recycling of plastic still remains a challenge. The vast majority of plastic is not recycled, making its way instead into landfills or the ocean.

Design Problems

1. Water Bottle Re-design

One of the main challenges of recycling plastic is that it needs to be cleaned and sorted. There are different types of plastic, each with its own particular characteristics. Even something as simple as a disposable drinking bottle has at least three different types of plastic: one for the body, one for the lid, and a third for the seal on the inside of the lid. Mixing plastics when recycling results in inferior plastic.

How might we redesign a single-use water bottle so that it can be made of a single type of plastic, and also reduce its environmental impact?

2. Capturing microfibers

Plastic microfibers are small, minute pieces of plastic that enter our environment. They end up in our rivers, lakes and oceans. Unlike natural fibers, such as cotton or wool, synthetic fibers do not biodegrade, and tend to bind with molecules of harmful chemical pollutants found in wastewater, such as pesticides or flame retardants. Studies have shown health problems among plankton and other small organisms that eat microfibers, which then make their way up the food chain. Researchers have found high numbers of fibers inside fish and shellfish sold at markets.

How might we reduce the amount of microfibers entering our waterways?

Guidance

Some possibilities to consider in your inquiry.

Explore different types of plastic, or alternative materials for water bottle design
The Simulation workspace in Fusion 360 allows you to analyze the weight and strength of different bottles

Resources

Article about microfibers produce from clothing and their impact on the environment: O'Connor, Mary Catherine. “Invisible Plastic: Microfibers Are Just the Beginning of What We Don't See | Mary Catherine O'Connor.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 29 June 2017, www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/jun/29/microfibers-plastic-pollution-apparel-oceans.
Guide to different types of plastic, their recyclability, and health considerations: Life Without Plastic
A description and animations that show what happens to plastic once it reaches the ocean: Evans, Alan. “If You Drop Plastic in the Ocean, Where Does It End up?” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 29 June 2017, www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jun/29/if-you-drop-plastic-in-the-ocean-where-does-it-end-up.

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